Black Rose
by iPolaris
Summary: In a garden, there grow roses... A pure rose that beams like a sun. A red rose that shines with its burning color. Alone, there also stood a dark rose, a rose once white, but stained with blood... She smiles, "Hurry, pick me up." ; • – Alice x Oz x Alyss
1. Oz : Sweet Dream, Beautiful Nightmare

**Title: **Black Rose

**Pairings: **Alice x Oz x Alyss; Mainly Oz x Alyss.

**Full Summary: **In a garden of light, there grow roses.

A rose of purity, that beams like a sun. But, it made others wonder, will it always stay bright? Will he just always 'accept' the oddities around him and smile?

...A rose of red, that shines with its burning color. Brave and stunning, does it really bloom like that, even if it doesn't know how it came to be in the first place? Doesn't she fear _once_, for herself, for _who _and _what _she is, once she knows the truth behind her past?

There also stood a dark rose, a rose once pure, but stained with blood... How did a beautiful flower turn this way? She really didn't want to be like _this, _in the first place, however, her fate was decided from the moment she existed. Despite her refusal, her clean petals were tainted with blood, and she was 'crimson'. She loved her gardener dearly, and in order to be picked, even though she had a color she hated, she made a decision...

The decision to be a Black Rose instead.

•

Welcome, dear reader who stumbled upon **Black Rose**, a Pandora Hearts fic~!

This is my second fic for Pandora Hearts. The first is the **By the Black Abyss**, an Oz x Alyss one-shot that I've tried to see if Alyss x Oz rocks, and I did prove that it's awesome! I suggest that you read it, and help me improve, too, guys. A simple review makes me happy. Just so you know, this fic is based on that one-shot, but I decided to make it longer and give it a twist, making it more detailed and more planned.

Rating may go up, _possibly, _if ever_._ Please have mercy on me, I'm still kind of a newbie, lol.

_Please read in 3/4 or 1/2, because it'll look more organized that way. _

Let the chapter roll! xD

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><p>.<p>

"I want to sleep with you!"

"You can't, Alice. This is _my_ room, besides a boy and a _girl_ can't share one, you know. You must go to your-"

"You're only my manservant! How dare you refuse my command! You must bow down to me! Kiss m-"

"Oz already told you '_no' _stupid rabbit! A **no **is no! What is the part in there that you can't understand?"

"Don't just drag me around, idiot! I'll kill you-"

Oz Vessalius sighed, massaging his temples. After a tiring week of encounters, about the truth behind the years, random Break Missions, Pandora interrogations, and a whole lot more in his schedule, he was definitely ready to hit the sack. Sum it also up with the fact that he can't sleep because of his disturbing dreams.

Now, besides from privacy and peace, all he was lacking for was his pajamas. The blond took the chance to get his pajamas, while the rabbit and his friend were bickering inside his room.

"Hello, Oz-kun~ ...Is this you're looking for? You're quite the decorator of this cute closet of yours, huh~"

"..."

Speechless, he grabbed the said pajamas. A second later, he was puling Alice and Gilbert with the clown. Gilbert felt the atmosphere. Break was just allowing the blond pull him, knowing the mood. The only one that was dense enough to notice was the stupid rabbit.

"You stupid manservant…! You have no right to do this to your master!"

THROW OUT!

"_That hurts_! …I won't tolerate this kind of-"

Smiling sweetly, Oz gazed–no, _glared_ at his 'master', sending chills to her spines. Did he 'glared' at _her_, the great Alice-sama herself, his 'master'? Gilbert only sweat dropped, while Break was obviously amused.

"Although it was a short while, I hope you all enjoyed your visit in **my** room," Oz said with patience. The smile on his face widened as he said, "**Good night, everyone.**"

Alice was ready to snap back, however, she can feel that kind of 'leave-this-place-or-you'll-die' aura emanating from her servant. Curse her animal instincts! With just a look, she withdrew, as Gil did the same, apologizing afterwards.

Break smirked, and this caught the blond's attention, bringing him back to normal.

"Good night to you, too, Oz-kun," the clown greeted back, as he walked away from the boy. Cooled down, Oz was struck with realization that he had just threatened him earlier. He called Xerxes, hoping to greet him properly this time.

"Break-san, I'm…! A-A good ni-"

"Sweet dreams~"

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><p>.<p>

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**► :: **Black Rose **:: ◄**

.

• White Rose •

**– Oz** :: **Sweet Dream, Beautiful Nightmare** –

.

_"From here on, there's no turning back. We have Pandora's 'key.'_

_...Even if this gentleman is a fallen angel that will bring about destruction."_

.

.

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><p>"-ght to you, too..." the young Vessalius trails off.<p>

Where is Break? Where is his room? …The hallways? …The doors? After a few seconds of thinking, a realization strikes him, as he gasps with an "Ah!", and he told himself that he must be dreaming. That has to be a dream.

Standing alone, he checks his surroundings. He's in this big, white room, with chequered red-and-white tiles as the floor's skin. On the shelves, are the different dolls sitting. He sees a couple of books on a white-clothed table, and a tea set.

He realized three things:

One: He can play chess on the tiles.

Two: He never thought of playing dolls in his whole life; he never did, he wasn't _that _kind of person, so why does he dreams of them?

Three...

"Where in the world am I?" Oz asks himself. Exploring the place, he looked at the shelves first, and observed the dolls. Suddenly, he felt the room's temperature dropped.

CLACK!

Huh? Did he just hear a moving sound? He turns his head cautiously to his right, to his left, and checks if there's someone besides him in the room. He knows there's something fishy going on; he just couldn't figure it out. Something is definitely wrong, but what can he prove himself that?

Shrugging, he ignores those thoughts. He must be getting paranoid, since he didn't get much sleep this week.

Examining a rag doll, Oz murmurs, "If I were a girl, do _I_ have a weird taste like _this_? Creepy..."

CLICK!

That wasn't his imagination anymore, that's for sure. A creepy laughter of a small voice echoes in the room. Turning around, Oz becomes desperate in looking, hoping to find the scary snickering that multiplies every second he counts.

*****NIKO!

_Behind me!_

Oz turns his back to the shelves, as his emerald eyes widen.

The still rag doll he was looking earlier is moving! The dolls are rampaging, as they came to life! Soon, more dolls are joining their 'fun', as many started to flood the floor. The room seemed to spin in his sight, as the dolls close him in, leaving a circle of remaining space for the boy to stand.

"He's here~! He's here~!"

"What...?" Oz exclaims, as a doll approaches his left foot and hugs it.

"You won't escape this time~!" another one talks, much to the blond's surprise, as it leaps on his right foot, preventing him to move it. He's stuck to the floor!

"It's already tea time~! Tea time~!" others cheer. Some of the dolls fly onto his shoulder, his arms and torso, holding him. Oz grits his teeth, struggling to be free, and escape this 'torture'. This is _his _dream! What's happening? This isn't even supposed to happen, is it? They aren't supposed to even _move _in the first place! They're _dolls, _for crying out loud!

Could it be that this is...? But, that's not possible-

"The mistress won't need to wait for _long_ again~!"

...Is it?

For a second, Oz pause his attempts to break free, and looks at a speaking marionette, which thankfully, is at the end of the crowding toys and doesn't bother to join its brothers and sisters in harassing him.

As if it felt that it succeeded in flicking the lad's switch 'on', it grins at him, and states happily, "Finally, she won't need to wait for another hundred years for _you_, Vessalius-sama~!"

THUMP, THUMP. His heart suddenly beats fast. Every beat echoes loudly in his ears. He felt his stomach churn, his body trembling. Bowing his head, Oz stares at the chess-like floor, as the memories he doesn't want to remember rise from the very back of his mind, and crashes in his head for him to remember.

_The white girl..._

_The white room..._

_The pointing hand at him..._

_The man behind the curtains..._

Oz comes up with a conclusion, as the hair on the back of his head rise, and cold sweat starts dripping slowly.

…This is the same with _that _dream! This is a **nightmare**!

Screaming, shrieking, the dolls sing with their ear-piercing voices. Covering his ears, Oz tried to ignore the painful sounds.

"Stop..."

Shouting, screeching, the toys chant noisily than before, adding the laughter, the fun of seeing him almost drop on his knees.

"Stop it...!" with his cracked voice, Oz commands roughly, but the dolls didn't seem to even notice. Desperate, he shuts his eyes, and yells, "**I said** **stop–!**"

"So, you're finally here, nyaaa~"

The room becomes quiet. Oz opens his eyes, to see a familiar figure in the shadows of the corner of the room. A raven-haired boy comes out of that corner, as his red cape slides on the floor, following him. His bells ring with every movement, and he gazes sharply at the blond with the famous red eye of his.

"Don't do anything stupid, _yet_, our 'guest of honor',_" _Chesire purrs.

"What?" Oz asks, clearly confused. First, psychopath dolls; now, Chesire is also here? ...If he has any chance to ask what on earth is happening in _his _supposed-to-be own dream, this is it.

"Cheshire... what do you mean 'guest of honor'? W-where am I? Why am I _even _here, in _this _room, out of all places? You... You're supposed to be dead, aren't you?"

Cheshire snarls at him, surprising him with change of mood. He must've hit a vein. "Cheshire won't die! Cheshire **never** died! …**LIAR**!"

_"Liar..." _the dumb dolls repeat after the cat. Oz backed off, as the cat seems to ready for attacking, but was relieved for a while, when it returns to the shadows. However, this leaves him thinking: why did he back off when he was exactly for the kill earlier?

"He's a liar, isn't he?_" _

Oz turns around, as the dolls whisper.

"Yes, Cheshire said so..."

The terror returns, out of all sudden, as the entire toys wail louder, and way more boisterous than before!

"_Liar... Liar... Liar... __**Liar…**__!"_

It's as if his ears are tearing off, Oz covers them with his life. Stop this... Stop... Stop it! The blond begs in his mind. Make them stop!

With his eyes closed, and a dark, dominating voice, Oz muttered, **"SHUT UP."**

Suddenly, all came to a halt. There's only an eerie silence. What just happened? Panting, the boy checks the room. No more sound. No more movements. No more 'living' dolls. Said toys are on the shelves once again, with the innocent simper back on their faces. Did it do the trick?

DRIP, DRIP... Oz looks at his hands, covered with the liquid that dropped on him. What is it? He examines the warm, red liquid closer. Oz froze.

**Blood**… It was blood.

The blond is staring at the crimson liquid on his hands, as more drops on his clothes and hair. …_Red._ He looked around him, as the white walls are slowly being corrupted by crimson. …_Blood._ The liquid begins to fill the room, as it climbs his body.

"No..." Oz mumbles, completely freaked out. "S-stop this... Stop this... I hate this colour… Stop... I don't want to see this... Stop-"

Something pats his head, bringing him back to 'reality'.

"Eh?" Oz mumbles to himself as he blinks, and checks his hands quickly. No blood. He looked around the white room. No more blood.

"What are you talking about?" a small voice inquires, snapping him back to his senses. Looking around, he found the source _beside _him. Oz backs off from a white toy, with its small-dotted eyes focused on him. He hid his surprised expression with a calm demeanour he surfaced.

"What are you talking about?" the stuff toy repeats with curiosity in its tone.

Oz knew better; it isn't _just_ a toy. The white rabbit with its blue ribbon flew away from him and floats. Oz didn't answer. What should he do? He has consciousness; unlike the previous dreams he had, which were really disturbing, and the reason he can't sleep from the beginning. Everything is more real than before. He can _feel_ everything now, which is more terrible.

How can he get out of here?

"Ah! Yes, that's why!" the rabbit didn't give him time to think, as it snapped him out of his train of thoughts. "How rude of me, so that's why you won't answer my question next… Anyway, welcome back, J-"

"Hey," Oz interrupts. "You've been repaired, huh?"

The rabbit dances in the air cheerfully, singing, "EHHH~! He noticed~! He _really _noticed~!"

"I wonder who sew that up for you," he continues, stepping forward. No need to be afraid; Oz knew what to do, even though he _really _doesn't. "Did you do that for me… so, I could shoot you again? How convenient! …Mwahahaha~!" smiling, Oz teases the toy, as his ominous laughter follows.

The toy stops flying in circles. It replies giggling, "Thank you~! …although, I haven't expecting that one~…"

Blood starts to drip on his face. His emerald eyes widens, as the cute rabbit turned crazed. Its black eyes enlarged, its tiny smile turned to a maniac grin. The edges of its white dress are covered with blood, as its eyes pour the red liquid out of it and purposely drop it on him.

"Oh, please… no need to put up that calm and cool façade!" the true, terrifying voice of the crazed bunny reveals itself. "I know you're in fear–for everyone, about everyone… especially about YOU! You're afraid of yourself, aren't you? You just want to 'be hurt' in their place, just to have an excuse, right? It's the truth~!"

The blond still has his serious expression, with no reaction, although the dumb rabbit hits him exactly bull's eye.

"You have no one beside you, you're all alone. From the start, you never _even _have one, do you~? Everyone hates you, and they all abandon you, leaving you by yourself…" the rabbit flies around, snickering.

"Without Alice, you're powerless! From the beginning, you're never that strong. You always depend on others and you just want to get out of the picture by using the excuse of 'being harmed for their sakes', when in reality, it was really for yours… You just want to fulfil your own desires~! You just want to prove that-"

"Fine, you win," Oz declares, holding that 'smile' back on his face again, as he stretches his arms and drops them with 'joy'. "I admit that I'm never that kind of person with such might, and that I used to 'depend' on everyone, and by the idea of mine of 'getting hurt alone', I thought I wouldn't be a burden to them, and would give myself satisfaction…"

"But…" Oz continues; his smile fading. His expression changes into a threatening one, as shadows of his bangs cover his eyes, making their emerald colour rise. He balls his fists, as the tone of his voice becomes frozen; unlike the 'usual' warm one Oz has, making the atmosphere intense.

"I dare you try harm my _friends_ yourself, and I swear to you, **I'll have more than enough of the strength and power to kill you**!"

"Oh, really?" after a few seconds of silence, the doll taunts him with a fixed voice unlike the giggly one, flying closer to his face this time, showing its horrifying bloody form. With an uncontrolled flinch, Oz showed an unexpected expression for a brief second.

Wrong move! He was supposed to show it his 'fixed' mask! Not the mask of any feeling! What if the rabbit notice the hole in his defence and crash it? No, Oz. Stop panicking. Be calm. Adapt. _Adapt._

In the shadows, Cheshire watches the 'show', glad that it makes his mistress happy. The boy has surpassed all of what she expects of him. He's _perfect_, she would comment, but he's still nothing, compared to him, her favorite pet, in terms of time he's beside her.

His fur being brushed, he looks up to find her, grinning. Cheshire knows what to do, what she has in mind. Cheshire understands. He quickly vanishes from her sight.

Oz finally composed himself, as he still gazes with the rabbit eye-to-eye… There's no way he's losing with the 'reason' and 'answers.' He wouldn't let it mess his–

OOF!

The next thing he knows, Oz found himself planking on the floor, face-down, as something–no, someone–pushed him. What about the annoying rabbi–…Someone? …With him? …Besides from the said rabbit, the creepy dolls, and Cheshire in this room?

He rose, massaging his forehead. Then, just as he'll turn to see the one who pushed him, it went first and hugs him. Yes, _hugs_ him from the back.

"You're finally here~! …Oh, please don't be mad~!"

"Huh?" Oz manages to turn his head back to her direction. "…Alice!"

He quickly gets away from her grasp, and grabs her by the shoulder. It's really Alice! But, how did she also end up here? Why does he have to drag people in his dream without knowing exactly why!

Setting his thoughts aside, he started worrying for her, all because of that annoying stuff toy. "Alice, are you okay? Hey, you aren't responding… Are you hurt? Did something happen? …_Anything?_"

Why is there something different? Why does he feel _odd?_ Shrugging, Oz notices Alice's silence, and speaking of, examines her.

"What's with the white dress? I thought you hate them, because they get filthy easily! Oh, and what happened to your hair? Are you trying to dye your hair blonde like mine _again_? You looked like a beansprout this time! …Wahahaha~!" Oz laughed hard, wiggling his hands in the air.

"Oh, God!" he also touched his stomach for emphasis, and removes his faked tears from his eyes, "Those are nice jokes, Alice! …Hahahaha~!"

'Alice' looks at him dearly, and giggles. Giggles?

"Hey, can you do me a favor?" she starts, grinning at him brightly. Oz is relieved when Alice finally spoke, but is taken when she asks him because asking him for requests is strange… she usually beats it out of him, or complains at him until he gives up. In the end, he always ends up hurt by his chain. But, what's going to hurt this time, if she's asking properly for the first time?

He's about to listen carefully for it, but what surprised him is that, she ran past him. Oz turns, to find her embracing the same stuff toy he's talking to earlier, only that it's back to its normal form.

'Alice' chirps, "Can you show me that murderous expression again? Ah, there's no need to mix it with anger… I would never want you to be _really _mad~! Please also add that killing intent! You know that I really like your different expressions… but, this is the first time I saw your 'angry' expression to the point that you want to kill~! So, will you show me that again, _please? _Please show me~!–"

…Twisted. …Insane. Oz made his shocked face. This girl _isn't_ Alice! His sweat runs cold, so is his blood. He should've realized it earlier! If this isn't the Alice he knows, this girl couldn't be…

"I really missed you for a long time. You still have this habit of making me worry for you, too much, you know…" the snow-haired girl turns around to see him, as her white gown follows her graceful movement. She touches the white roses located near her neck, and smiles, "–Jack!"

Oz is currently having goose bumps.

"Jack?" she asks, with her face full of worry, as she bends to see Oz's face closer. "Your face looks like as if you saw a ghost~! Could it be possible that you don't remember? We used to play, to chat with each other! You used to always hum me to sleep, and tell me wonderful stories! We always like to have tea, and pick roses out in Glen's gardens!"

"You're not Alice…" Oz mutters unbelievably. The one Pandora is looking for a lifetime, the one that grabs people into darkness and the one who's causing all of this pain is in front of him. …The root of all reasons, especially the Tragedy of Sablier.

"I'm Alice!" 'Alice' sings.

"No, you're not Alice! You're different! …Who are you? Tell me!"

"Jack!" 'Alice' cried, hugging her bunny to herself more, "Oh, but I _am _Alyss!"

After a few seconds of staring unbelievably at her, Oz takes back the expression on his face, and bows gently in front of the girl. He knows what to do. Alyss claps childishly with delight, as he rises and greets her with a gesture of respect. He finally remembered!

"Ah, so you're Alyss, milady," Oz smiles. He brings his hand to ruffle his hair, as he continues to grin sheepishly, "I'm very sorry, but, I _really_ don't know who you are. Rather, we've never even met before, have we? I also apologize greatly, because I mistook you for a 'stupid rabbit', you see… Have you seen her?"

Alyss gasps, the grin on her face vanishes, as he bursts her bubble. She stares at Oz, who seems to expect her to answer, as she slowly strangles the life out of her stuff toy. The flowing crimson tears of her toy stains the edges of her sleeves, leaving her hands clean.

Meanwhile, Oz finally found an exit. He would finally wake up! Confident, he continued his 'play', as he walks around the room, and finds an opportunity to go near the door.

"I know that she should be around here somewhere, Miss, for she's the type of person who won't leave her 'properties' behind, especially her manservant… Thinking about her, well, I need to get ready for some beating…!"

Oz steps a big step backwards to the direction of the door.

"Oh, but you see, you also mistaken me for someone, too, Alyss…"

STEP BACK.

"I'm not the one who played with you, who talked with you and did all of the other boring things with you, which you told me earlier… I'm not Jack!"

Taking the last step backward to the black door, Oz grins with affirmation in his green eyes. "I am Oz Vessalius! Don't get the wrong person, Will of the Abyss!"

"B-But, Jack…!" Alyss sobs, with a disappointed look on her face. She bows her head, and gazes coldly at her toy. "Too bad he isn't for a visit today, huh…"

Oz opens the door. The black, timeless void–the Abyss–waits for him from below; meaning, this room, like Cheshire's dimension, is a different place from the Abyss? Its 'intention' is here, so this must be the 'heart' of the Abyss that took Pandora to almost lose its mind just to find it.

He gulps. To jump in there with his own free will for the second time, he must've the guts. But, he needs to wake up **now.** He needs to find Alice!

Just as he's about to jump, hands came from his side, with an abnormal force making him go inside that blood-stained room once again.

…**No!**

•

At the center of the room, he's sitting on a chair, more like a throne. The whole room isn't lit anymore; all of its light is focused on him, as if he's an actor on a stage. Oz can't feel his body; he can't move even a finger. He feels heavy, and tired. His senses are still functioning, all right. And all he knows is that he must get out of her territory **now**.

The young Vessalius tried to stand, but to no prevail. Instead, hands wrap around his neck from behind, as he can feel her warm breath tickling his neck.

"It's okay," Alyss says softly, her voice soothes him. No, he must fight that inviting voice! Oz turns away his head from her face, but she still makes him look at her, no matter what direction he avoids his gaze.

"You know, I already knew that Jack is gone. He can't return to me anymore… We can't play anymore… I can't touch, see or even talk with him… And I can't accept the truth that he left me alone. Everyone's throwing that to my face, but still, I can't! He promised me he won't leave, but look what he had done!"

Those violet eyes like Alice's show loneliness. The will is almost crying. But, that was just a second, because when Oz blinked again, her sad face was replaced with a smiling one, with her purple eyes beaming with interest.

"…But, to think that he can resurface through _you…"_

Oz felt his blood boil. Why does everyone see him as 'Jack'? Don't they realize that he's Oz Vessalius? Oz, Oz, Oz. Just Oz. No Vessalius, no Jack, no 'descendant' of the hero of the Tragedy of Sablier. Being described like him, thought of like him, to the point of he's 'him', pisses Oz off. Why can't they see the real him? It also made his blood run cold. She was after Jack?

"_You are just his 'house', after all…" _he remembered someone said to him. Oh, so now from 'Oz Vessalius', he just become a 'house' for his great ancestor? Then, if she is after Jack, she'll definitely kill him just to get him out and take his body. But, not for a few minutes like usual… it can be _forever._

"But, don't you worry! Since Jack always breaks his promises and leaves me, I don't like him anymore. He's much like Glen. I'm not surprised, though, since they used to be close," Alyss laughs, "Even if Jack lives in you, Alice, my too-good-to-be twin will just steal you away! …I won't allow that!"

"Then, why don't you just hurry up and kill me?" Oz asks, hardening his glance at her. "Why do you love making things so complicated?"

Alyss walks in front of the blond, leans close to his face, until it's only inches away. She raises his chin up, levelling his sight to hers.

With a honey-like voice, and a powerful gaze, Alyss talks to him, "Please don't misunderstood, my beloved person. You're not to be killed, and I even promise you, that you will **never** be touched by the Abyss. I never have the intention of hurting you, or doing things to erase your existence. What I really wish is to protect you… I would _kill_ just to be with you…"

"I realized the truth a long time ago. Jack wasn't really staying by my side because of _me, _but because of Alice. He's only there for Alice, isn't he? I don't want a person like that, who is only there because of another…"

"W-what are you saying?" Oz couldn't understand.

"Simple, my beloved," Alyss smiles, inviting him with her alluring grin, "Come with me. Stay here. With you, it's enough. I… you… We, together…! We'll have fun every day! Time will be enough; there'll be no need for us to catch it! …Just say 'yes'! We'll control the Abyss together, **Oz**–!"

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><p>.<p>

**A/N: **_What will Oz answer? How will he react? What about the real Alice? Where are the others? _

Word for the day: **Niko**. What does 'Niko' means? Well, for those who don't know and doesn't have any clue, _Niko_ is a Japanese word for 'smirk'. I just thought of using a Japanese sound effect. Cool, right? lol.

Anyway, how did it go? Did you enjoy? Criticisms, flames, comments, suggestions, and anything else in your minds are **welcome**! All you have to do is to click the button below. _I'm in need of a loyal reader_. If you think you're one, just review and you're in! :D

Watch out for the next chapter~!


	2. Alyss  x Alice : Alice in 'Wonderland'

**A/N: **And hello, I'm once again back! Well, not entirely. But, hey, thanks for the 120 hits last chapter, everyone who read. Oh, and a 'thank you' to **Kalax**, too, the first one to review, add this fic to his favorites, and story alert. You have my deepest gratitude! ...Finally, I, at least, updated one of my fics. This is for the latest chapter and the holidays coming, ohoho~! Enjoy! :D

Here's a legend for you, to not to be confused:

_• Italic _– Dream

_• Underlined and Italic _– Memories

• Normal – Alice

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><p>.<p>

A brown–haired girl is standing alone. Where in the world is she? What's this place?

"_This is a story of a girl named Alice."_

"_Isn't that __**my**__ name? S–She has no right to copy it, right?"_

"_No, she didn't, silly~ …This is a story of 'you'."_

"_M–Me…?"_

Alice saw a young version of herself, together with someone. They were in a garden, full of crimson roses. His looks were blurred, and she could only see his figure. This scene feels nostalgic. Is this one of her lost memories?

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_There was once a young girl by the name of Alice. One day, after escaping her sister from the meadow, she saw a talking rabbit with a pocket watch in its hand, running to catch time. She asked him where he was going, and told her he was going to the Red King. _

_Alice was curious. She followed the rabbit, which went into a hole. Wanting to know where it leads to, she jumped into the said hole. After a series of mazes, she found a wonderful place, filled with unusual and eye-catching beauty that was never known in her world. Everything was bathed in light. That place was called 'wonderland.' _

"_Where am I?"_

She heard her own voice, as her recent memories show themselves. This memory is the first she has, the beginning of all. Alice saw herself floating in the Abyss, with the first time she opened her eyes.

"_You are here."_

_Someone answered her questions._

"_Where is 'here'?"_

"_Here."_

Alice knows it was the Will taking to her back then.

"_What is this place? What am I? Who am I?"_

"_You are a chain. Your name is 'Alice.' All of the darkness you see around you, this place where you are, is called Abyss. This is where you are 'born'. …Welcome home~!" _

_Alice decided to have a quest–to search for the rabbit, and to where he is heading. _

"_What?"_

"_Are you deaf? I said that I escaped the Abyss to find my memories here in your world! …When I first woke in the Abyss, I've no idea of who am I or what am I. I realized that I'm empty, and I have no 'memories' of myself, of where I'm from, or what I'm supposed to do. I can feel them here, calling to me from the Abyss!"_

_Along the way, she stumbled upon many familiars–a caterpillar, the rabbit itself, a pair of twins..._

_The Cheshire cat…_

_**"Everything that made you sad, everything that hurt you, Cheshire will destroy them!"**_

_The mad hatter…_

"_**She's stupid, isn't she, Emily?"**_

_...And many more characters! Alice made many friends, and allies!_

Alice, the B–Rabbit, watches every scene, as the story shifts from the wonderland's forests, different places and experiences of _Alice _in the story, to a garden of red roses. Just like the one she saw earlier.

_Somehow, Alice finally reached the Red King's castle, only to trespass in his garden, where he wants his soldiers paint the white roses, red, for that's his favourite colour. The news of an earth–dweller reached the king's ears, and found out it was Alice. For that reason, she was jailed, and put in a trial. _

_Thanks to some of her friends, Alice escaped the Red King, and took cover in the White King's castle. _

A distant voice from the back of her mind talks, a voice she never knew. Yet, why was she so assured as she heard it?

"…_As long as he doesn't know that I always visit you, we'll never be in danger. Let's keep this a secret from him, all right? Don't be scared, because this'll be fun, Alice!"_

_It was revealed that the White King was friends with the Red King, and because of the Red King's selfishness, they were forced to be enemies. Back at the castle, the Red King was furious that Alice was gone, and he ordered the__ Jabberwock__, his dragon, to abduct her from his former friend's territory._

"_One night, after the White King prepared his defences and men for the destined battle on the next day, the king was out in his balcony, thinking about his old friend–the Red King. Alice, who was known to be easily lost, stumbled upon the entrance of the balcony_…"

The narration pauses. Standing behind the White King, Alice is confused. The story says that _"…Alice stumbled upon the entrance of the balcony_" but why is that blonde girl not present? She should be here!

"She saw the White King, who was looking afar. Without a word, she quietly walked to the king…"

"…W–What's happening?" the brown-haired chain asks, as she found herself going to the White King. No matter how much she commands her body, her body won't obey her.

"That stupid _Alice _was the one who was supposed to do this! I'm only a bystander, aren't I? Where is she? This is her job, not min–!"

Her mouth shuts by itself. How…?

"And then, _without a word_, Alice, our heroine, walked towards the White King, careful not to make any sounds that may call his attention…"

The narrator repeated itself. Its voice changed from a man's to a girl's, she noticed. And, since the blonde girl who was supposed to do her job isn't here, is it possible that she's the **Alice** the narrator tells? …It has to be **her**.

The chain is behind the White King. Now, what?

"The innocent White King didn't know that his precious visitor is behind him. With her hands, the chain lifts them up to the level of the King's neck and…"

Did Alice hear it correct? The _chain_, it said. The blond Alice isn't a chain! She's a human and B-Rabbit is definitely sure that she was the one in this story. Although, she has a bad feeling about her position, right now… Could it be the next move in the scene is–

The White King started to choke, as her hands harden her hold around his neck.

–**Strangle him!**

"N-No!" she said, trying to stop what she's doing. "…Stop, you idiotic hands, **stop**! No, you're not going to die, mister!"

Knowing what to do next, Alice shuts her eyes, and shouts, "**Stop it!"**

Suddenly, she can control her body freely again. Alice was relieved, and mad at the same time. No one has the power to control her, the powerful chain in the Abyss! How did the narrator do that?

"You killed him~!" a voice says. "You killed the 'White King'…!"

Quickly, Alice goes by the side of the said king, and checks his pulse. She let him go by the last second! She knew it! …What? Why is there no pulse? No heart beats?

Alice gasps with realization, "I f–failed…?"

No, she didn't. She was quite sure she let him go. Is it because of the narrator? Speak of the devil, where is it?

Alice stands up, hoping to find the one who's responsible, but all she saw were mirrors. She was enclosed in mirrors, as if she's inside a kaleidoscope! Her reflection with the King's was reflected in every angle. Alice stares at her reflections–a big, black rabbit with a scythe, and a fragile-looking teenage girl. What does she really looks like, out of the two?

"It was a success, Alice!" she heard her _own _voice behind her. Immediately, she turned, and she saw herself, with a shadowy face, large white circles for the eyes and a maniac grin, instead. "He died! Aren't you happy that we took a life like we used to do? This is fun!"

"This is no 'fun'!" Alice grits her teeth at her twisted reflection. "I didn't kill him! It was in the story; the other _Alice _was supposed to do it! It was never my intention to hurt humans unless necessary!"

"It _was _necessary, and _we _took the pleasure of ending his pathetic life! You and I… loved how he struggled from our hands while he dies! Admit it, Alice. That's what was necessary!"

"T–that's not true! I didn't–you **were** never me in the first place! You are only my reflection! You have no right to drag me down to your liking!"

"Like you said, I'm your 'reflection'. I reflect what you really are. And, this _is _what you are," the reflection tells her. "Before or after you lost those memories, it doesn't really matter. I assure you, my Alice, this _is _what _we _are, even before you died back at Sablier, one hundred years ago!"

Her purple eyes widen with rage. "That's not true, you impostor! You never know me, and never will! You have no right to tell me who I am! I will find the truth about me myself!"

"And you did find it now," the voice shifts again, to the one who narrated after the man. Alice finds her reflection shifting figures. Her brown hair reflected became white. Her clothes changed colours to light ones, and the face is exactly like hers. The difference is only the way she smiled at Alice–it's as if 'it's your time to **die'**.

Oh, but Alice didn't even flinched. She was seriously pissed off right now, especially when the reflection continued…

"You're a killer~~~!"

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Alice's voice is strong. "I'm not a killer... I'm a chain! I'm the Black Blood-stained Rabbit!"

"Does it even matter, whether you're a human or not?" the white-haired girl taunts her. "You are what you just proved. You are a _chain,_ who kills humans~! Why don't you see for yourself?"

"**Shut up**!" Alice shouts, covering her ears. She was starting to lose to the stupid reflection, and especially to herself. What if she really _is _a murderer? No, Alice _is _Alice. She believes in Oz! There's no way she'll turn to these lies! She believes in him!

"See for yourself, B–Rabbit~! Face it, don't run~! Don't you ever get tired from running away like a coward? …Even if you hide, _I_'ll find you," she promises the chain, while pointing at her feet. "…And _he_'ll find you, too."

"Who…? What are you talking about?"

"Alice…" a hoarse, familiar voice calls her. She turns around to find its source, but all she saw were the same reflections. "Alice… What have you done…?"

A cold hand grips her right boot, and she has no choice but to look at it. She saw the White King's hand, holding her. His body lies face–down, but now that she observed him more, Alice seems to recognize him… the white King has a broad back. His white outfit isn't white anymore; it was mostly green and yellow. The king also has a long, golden, braided hair… Long, golden, braided hair…

"Y–You're not…!"

"Alice…" he called once again, this time, his voice changed, into a younger tone. "Alice, help… me…"

Alice, with her trembling body, rushes to drop on her knees, as she turns the body to face her. She gapes, her expression with shock, as if she's been slashed over and over again. "No…!"

"**Alice**," the 'White King's' hand touches her cheek, painting it with blood. "…**Why did you kill me**…?"

"I…!" Water is streaming from her purple eyes, each droplets drop on the young Vessalius face. "…I didn't mean to! I–I'm sorry! I never want to hurt you! I–It wasn't my fault; I never wanted to do this! It was a trick! S–She tricked me! I…–!"

"**I will never forgive you,**" the blond curses, with a big grin. Alice feels the power draining out of her, and flows into her contractor's hands. **"…NEVER!"**

The shadow of her weapon overshadows her, as she can't stop shaking and sobbing. Alice can only look at his simpering face, smiling at her, with a smile corrupted and twisted.

"…**Die, B–Rabbit,**"he laughs maniacally, "**Die for me, Alice!**"

"…O–Oz!" Alice weeps, her heart thumping fast. The scythe is approaching. Her punishment is coming. While holding Oz Vessalius within her arms, with her scythe in his hands, Alice, the Black Blood–stained Rabbit, screams at the top of her lungs.

"…**OOOOOOOOOOZ**!"

* * *

><p>.<p>

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► **:: **Black Rose **::** ◄

.

• Crimson Rose •

– **Alice / Alyss** :: **Alice in Wonderland** –

.

"_Someone once said, 'That place is engulfed in darkness.' _

_However, that does in no way mean that there was never any light…"_

.

.

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* * *

><p>Her sister's scream is music to her ears.<p>

It's been a while since she heard her twin's voice. When was it? Ah, a hundred years ago! Her voice's still the same, and Alyss loves it. She really loves Alice's voice; it was more cute and innocent than her, unlike what the 'Alice' has before. Oh, you have no idea who or what she was, before she became _B–Rabbit_.

"_Liar… Liar… Liar… __**Liar…!**__" _

The white-haired girl hears her toys scream louder than earlier. It's been a few seconds like that. She wonders why… Oh, oh, she remembers! Her 'guest of honour' must be already here! The dolls made the greetings for her. How embarrassing it is for the one who invited, who didn't even greet the guest first!

Aw, but it's her sister's fault. She became very amusing to manipulate and watch that Alyss forgot that this is the day her 'Jack' will visit her.

She saw the pain on his face, the way he shows _dislike_ for her toys. Suddenly, the pain disappears, and is replaced by dark domination by force. She saw his lips move, and this is her cue.

"Everyone," she whispers softly, "Cease at once, _please._"

Her dolls heard her, and all came to silence. Her visitor checks the room, afterwards. He's finding her again! Isn't this exciting? He also gazes at the dolls sitting properly on her shelves. Is he pleased on how orderly she is?

"I must have a better look~!" Alyss hums silently to herself, as she throws her prized stuff toy behind him. "Go, my honey cake~!"

She made her doll float above him, as she can see his yellow hair from that angle. It really _is_ him, Alyss daydreams. How long was it when she last saw him? …A few days? …Weeks? …Months? Oh my, it's been _so_ long, that she can't even remember!

"No... S-stop this... Stop this..."

Alyss gasps. What did he hates now? She hushed her toys already, so he _must_ be comfortable by now. Is there anything he wants?

"I hate this colour… Stop... I don't want to see this..."

Colour? What colour?

Alyss made her rabbit fly beside his face, as she saw his horrified expression. What could be the reason 'Jack' made that face? He never has that kind of face before unless Glen tells him that he would hate and ignore Jack forever, and Glen will chortle. No wonder, Jack's different expressions are amusing and interesting at the same time, and the way 'Jack' shows it to her now makes it more _addicting_.

The snow-haired girl chuckles as she thinks of such thoughts.

"Stop–" 'Jack' pleas, his green eyes widening. Using her long, white 'ears', Alyss flicks her finger and 'pats' 'Jack's' head, hoping to 'wake' him up from what he sees right now. It's probably one of the illusions Abyss creates sometimes. Oh well, he'll get used to that, _soon_.

She observed him checking his hands, and the room. Ah, the after effects. To snap him out of it, Alyss asks, through the tiny voice of her stuff toy, "What are you talking about?"

'Jack' found 'her', and backs off a few steps away. As her 'eyes' focus on him, he's suddenly _changing_–his bewildered face turns into cold and neutral. How amazingly fast~!

She repeats her question, knowing that he's back. Waiting for his slow reply, Alyss makes her rabbit twirl around in the air. After a few seconds, she pouts. 'Jack' is so slow! Why is that? Doesn't he notice her presence until now?

"Ah! Yes, that's why! How rude of me, so that's why you won't answer my question…" she realizes, as her toy tells him what she said. She finally caught his attention, as he looks up to 'her'. Continuing, she has the chance to greet indirectly, "Anyway, welcome back, J–"

"Hey," he interrupts. Oh. What does he has to say? "You've been repaired, huh?"

Repaired? Ah, he must be pertaining to the time it was ruined. The damage of her toy was really nasty. Alyss stayed up for a very long time just to sew the huge hole. She even suffered a few pricks because of the needle. But, the needles got their punishment, so no need to think about it. She broke all of those who pricked her.

Alyss made her rabbit sing and dance, "EHHH~! He noticed~! He _really _noticed~!"

"I wonder who sew that up for you," he continues, stepping forward.

"Did you do that for me…" 'Jack' is proud of her. He definitely is! Alyss grins, assured. She sewed it; she was the only one who did it, without anyone's help! She finally did sewing correctly! And it was all for _him_!

But, her grin fades from her face, as soon as she heard 'Jack's' next sentence, "…So, I could shoot you again? …How convenient!"

She lost control of the rabbit, and it stopped flying in circles. H–How dare he laugh at her, at what she did! She repaired her stuff toy to make him proud that she did it with patience and love, not to be a target for shooting! Alyss won't let it go.

Alyss made her medium reply giggling, "Thank you~! …although, I haven't expecting that one~…"

Isn't it adorable when his warm, emerald eyes widen at 'her'? Look at his reaction! The blood really did its purpose! 'Jack's' expression is really priceless, isn't it? Her toy floats above him, making it drop a mini–rain of blood from its black, rounded eyes. She really made it rain blood for him. Alyss puts her fingers around her lips, and stretches them to a grin, as her bunny does the same.

"Oh, please… no need to put up that calm and cool façade!" her bunny echoes what her mouth says. She wonders what he'll do about this…

"I know you're in fear–for everyone, about everyone… especially about YOU! You're afraid of yourself, aren't you? You just want to 'be hurt' in their place, just to have an excuse, right? It's the truth~!"

Oh? Alyss raises an eyebrow. The blond doesn't show her any reaction. He's still, gazing at her toy with a frosty mask. Why? Does he really want to play? Then, they'll play~!

"You have no one beside you, you're all alone. From the start, you never _even _have one, do you~?" Alyss continues, taunting him. "Everyone hates you, and they all abandon you, leaving you by yourself…"

"Without Alice, you're powerless!" she snickers, as her rabbit dance in the air for her. Her twin is really useful! Something clicks in her head, and the wheels start to move. She was always watching him, beginning from the day she found him again through that pocket watch. Alyss can use those days…

"…From the beginning, you're never that strong. You always depend on others and you just want to get out of the picture by using the excuse of 'being harmed for their sakes', when in reality, it was really for yours… You just want to fulfil your own desires~! You just want to prove that–"

"Fine, you win."

…Did she now? Alyss giggles happily. Great~! She knew that she will! 'Jack' is silent now, and silence means 'yes'!

Alyss focuses on him, and sees that playful simper back on his face again. He stretches his arms, saying, "I admit that I'm never that kind of person with such might, and that I used to 'depend' on everyone, and by the idea of mine of 'getting hurt alone', I thought I wouldn't be a burden to them, and would give myself satisfaction…"

"But…"

Suddenly, he drops them, awing her with an expression she didn't see before. Alyss doesn't know how to react. The atmosphere becomes so intense in just half a second! She was taken!

Alyss felt frozen, as if her feet have grown roots, and stuck her to the ground. The temperature drops, and the girl can't avoid but to hug herself. She felt something trickling from her neck…

Eh? What the–it were cold sweats. Alyss swears she never sweats, even if she's fighting seriously or playing, but with just a sharp glance from his powerful eyes that spark greatly with the colour of emerald from the shadows of his bangs, Alyss is speechless…

"I dare you try harm my _friends_ yourself, and I swear to you, **I'll have more than enough of the strength and power to kill you**!"

As soon as 'Jack's' gaze returns to normal, Alyss shuts her eyes, and breathes deeply. Then, with a swish of her hand, the doll flew closer to his face, with its real bloody form than the other. "Oh, really…?"

He flinched. 'Jack' flinched? He flinched…

Alyss walks from the deep shadows, and went beside her pet, which seems to be amused by the show. Cheshire did a good job handling the guest for her earlier. She brushes his soft, black fur, and his left crimson eye greets her. Alyss always knew that red suits Chesire, how it perfectly fit him, as if the colour was created for him.

"He's_ perfect_," Alyss told herself, grinning. "**He's more than what I expected of him to be**…"

Her cat looks up to her, and disappears from her sight. He knows what to do.

Meanwhile, as Alyss gazes at her rabbit and 'Jack' having this 'who-blinks-first-loses' game, with questions and answers, she knew she couldn't stop herself anymore.

Alyss runs from the shadows, ready to tackle the blond, as the light in her room blinds her temporarily.

OOF! Alyss is so embarrassed!

How many decades or _even_ centuries will it pass for her to forget one of the most embarrassing moments in her life? It's the millionth time she pushed him in an attempt to embrace him! She bets that she's so red, that she looks like a tomato!

He begins to stand, after he laid face-down on the floor. Alyss is alarmed. Quickly, she stuffed her face into his back as she lets her arms wrap around his body.

"You're finally here~!" she greets at last! "…Oh, please don't be mad~!"

"Huh?" he spun and noticed her. "…Alice!"

Alice? _Alice? _**Alice?** Is that what the first thing that came into his mind when he saw her? Alyss balls her fists, as she bows her head. Alice… Alice… All she heard was that stubborn girl! Why doesn't he see her? Why doesn't he know her? She _is _his Alice, isn't she? _Who_ else can he be looking for?

"Alice, are you okay?" she looks up to him. Ah, it was her bad! A hundred years have pass, surely he won't remember her right away. All her frustrations went away as soon as she saw his worried face. "Hey, you aren't responding… Are you hurt? Did something happen? …_Anything?_"

"What's with the white dress? I thought you hate them, because they get filthy easily!" 'Jack' exclaims, as he examines her from head to toe. "Oh, and what happened to your hair? Are you trying to dye your hair blonde like mine _again_? You looked like a beansprout this time! …Wahahaha~!"

Alyss puffs her cheeks. She didn't even try dying her hair white! She was born 'white'! But, now that she thinks about it, white is close to yellow, isn't it?

"Oh, God…!" 'Jack' touches his stomach and laughs, even removes the faked tears from his eyes, "Those are nice jokes, Alice~!"

This is so _'Jack'_. This is _him_. Alyss is so happy that he finally showed his usual self. But, there is something that interests her, something new he just showed her, that she never saw before, even before those hundred years past.

"Hey, can you do me a favour?" Alyss starts, smiling brightly. She's sure that 'Jack' will definitely do it! He's waiting for it, she notices. Just as she's about to tell him, she saw her stuff toy floating behind him in its normal form. Her bunny must not miss this!

She runs past him, and grabs the rabbit in mid-air.

"Can you show me that murderous expression again? Ah, there's no need to mix it with anger… I would never want you to be _really _mad~!" Alyss requests, as she patiently waits for the moment he'll grant her wish.

"Please also add that killing intent! You know that I really like your different expressions… but, this is the first time I saw your 'angry' expression to the point that you want to kill~! So, will you show me that again, _please? _Please show me~!–"

She pauses, as 'Jack' becomes silent. He must be thinking about it now. He better show that alluring expression of his again…

"I really missed you for a long time," Alyss continues, giving 'Jack' a few of her time. "You still have this habit of making me worry for you, too much, you know…"

The snow-haired girl turns around to see her 'Jack'. She purposely made her white dress follow her gracefully. 'Jack' taught her that–when they would play, once was that 'pretending' as nobles–an enchanting move made by princesses.

Alyss touches the white roses located near her neck, and calls her name cheerfully, "Jack!"

He looks pale, and Alyss is worried. What's happening? Is he hurting? She walked towards the blond and bent to see his face closer.

"Jack…? Your face looks like as if you saw a ghost~!" Alyss comment. "Could it be possible that you don't remember? We used to play, to chat with each other! You always hum me to sleep, and tell me wonderful stories! We always like to have tea, and pick roses out in Glen's gardens!"

"You're not Alice…"

Oh, he finally knows! He finally knows~! …Hmmm. She decided to test him once, just in case. Alyss protests, and sings that her name was that of that pathetic _chain_.

"No, you're not Alice! You're different! …Who are you? Tell me!"

Good~! Alyss holds her bunny tighter as she's so happy she can finally let him know her **now**. "Oh, but I _am _Alyss!"

'Jack' is speechless. She waits for it. For his memories to return, for him to remember who she is. Alyss chirps in success, as she saw that bewildered look from his face fade, and is replaced with a gentle smile on his lips.

Out of all sudden, 'Jack' bows politely in front of her, just like a gentleman! Just like when they are playing as a prince and a princess! Childishly, she claps with delight. Then, her 'prince' rises and with a gesture of 'respect', he greets her. He finally remembered!

"Ah, so you're Alyss, milady," 'Jack' starts, and Alyss can't stop the beating of her heart. He's so close! He finally…! Alyss becomes lost in her thoughts. She just snapped back to _her_ reality, as she saw him bring his hand to ruffle his hair.

'Jack's' grin turns sheepishly. "I'm very sorry, but, I _really_ don't know who you are. Rather, we've never even met before, have we? I also apologize greatly, because I mistook you for a 'stupid rabbit', you see… Have you seen her?"

POP. She heard her bubbles of fantasies burst. Her simper vanishes, as she gasps. Mistook? He _mistook _her… for a 'stupid rabbit'? …**Rabbit**? Her hands grip her stuff toy harder. …That worthless _chain? _ **Alice?**

_Alyss–sama… It hurts. Please stop it… Alyss–sama–_the 'cries' of her toy doesn't reach her deaf ears. Her violet eyes stare only at him, as she felt a warm, trickling liquid flowing onto her. With her power to her liking, she controlled the red tears of her bunny and the blood stained the edges of her sleeves instead, not her hands. Alyss doesn't want to be dirtied today.

Alyss felt him. She felt him. With a gaze on the blond, she already deducted what he's going to do. And there's no way he'll _wake up._

"I know that she should be around here somewhere, Miss, for she's the type of person who won't leave her 'properties' behind, especially her manservant… Thinking about her, well, I need to get ready for some beating…!"

STEP BACK.

"Oh, but you see, you also mistaken me for someone, too, Alyss…"

STEP BACK.

"I'm not the one who played with you, who talked with you and did all of the other boring things with you, which you told me earlier… I'm not Jack!"

After taking the last step backward to the black door of her room, 'Jack' grins with affirmation in his green eyes, "I am Oz Vessalius! Don't get the wrong person, Will of the Abyss!"

"B-But, Jack…!" Alyss sobs. She can't hold it anymore. With a disappointed look on her face, she bows her head, as something hits her. …The cold, cruel truth. Under the shadows of her hair, she smiled wickedly at her bloody toy, whispering, "Too bad he isn't for a visit today, huh…"

'Jack' opens the door. Abyss awaits him below. She knew. Alyss knew. The girl walked quietly after him. He didn't even felt her presence as she is near him. This is the perfect chance. Just as he's about to jump, Alyss controlled everything around him.

_This _is her room. _This _is her Abyss. _She _is its mistress, and she is the host for this reunion party. When she says 'the party's over', then that'll be the time it's over. _She _has the power over everything _here_, in her own world.

Alyss puts a chair in the middle of the room, as the gravity of the Abyss controls 'Jack' and makes him sit on it. This chair is the perfect throne for the 'king'. He must be comfortable. She flicked her fingers, and the light centred its focus on him.

She laughs silently in the dark, as she watches the young Vessalius who tried to stand. But, her power is greater. When she says 'sit', the guest must sit. That's how parties go, right?

The girl goes behind him, and wraps her protective arms around.

"It's okay," Alyss assures softly, with her soothing voice. But, as expected from him, he tried his best to avoid her gaze, as he turns his head to the opposite direction. It can't be helped then. Alyss controlled the force around him, making him turn his attention to her, and _hers_ only.

"You know, I already knew that Jack is gone," Alyss admits with a heavy tone. "He can't return to me anymore… We can't play anymore… I can't touch, see or even talk with him… And I can't accept the truth that he left me alone. Everyone's throwing that to my face, but still, I can't! He promised me he won't leave, but look what he had done!"

Alyss is really lonely. Even if she has the power over Abyss, which is what people seek for their selfish desires, being alone is painful. Although Cheshire is there for her, he isn't enough. It was only _him_, the only person who cared for her, who worried for her, who treated her kindly with those smiles, who showed her that she's special even though he's only with her during the half of the day.

"…But, to think that he can resurface through _you…" _

Alyss observed his lovely face, just the same like Jack used to look. He has that powerful gaze from his green eyes like Jack's. He also has that soft, blond hair. This boy in front of him isn't Jack. She accepted the fact, only **now, **because she's sure that she can let go.

This boy is Oz Vessalius, a descendant of Jack, so as they say, whom she loved a long time ago. Beginning from that day, mistaking him as Jack for the first time, she saw him.

It was a great surprise for her, that it caused her to strangle him and almost kill him for deceiving her eyes. Since then, she didn't pay any attention to him, but every day, she can tell how much he pops up randomly in her head and how he finally piqued her interest–but it's because of Jack back then.

Alyss started to observe him, through her sister and her dear seal, after their fateful encounters and she realized how he's very much different from Jack. Earlier, it wasn't because of Jack's expressions she was amused, but it was really Oz's. It was really **Oz **himself, from the start; she just didn't want to believe it.

But, now, Alyss knows what her heart says.

"But, don't you worry! Since Jack always breaks his promises and leaves me, I don't like him anymore. He's much like Glen. I'm not surprised, though, since they used to be close," she laughs, "Even if Jack lives in you, Alice, my too-good-to-be twin will just steal you away! …I won't allow that!"

"Then, why don't you just hurry up and kill me?" he asks, "Why do you love making things so complicated?"

Alyss walks to the front of the blond, as she leans to close to his face, until it's only inches away. There's no going back, she's sure. She will definitely happy in this chapter of her life, and nothing will take that happiness away, or it'll suffer her wrath.

She raises his chin up, levelling his sight to hers.

"Please don't misunderstood, my beloved person." Alyss talks to him, as she knows what to do. "You're not to be killed, and I even promise you, that you will **never** be touched by the Abyss. I never have the intention of hurting you, or doing things to erase your existence. What I really wish is to protect you… I would _kill_ just to be with you…"

"I realized the truth a long time ago. Jack wasn't really staying by my side because of _me, _but because of Alice. He's only there for Alice, isn't he? I don't want a person like that, who is only there because of another…"

"W-what are you saying?" he stutters.

"Simple, my beloved," Alyss smiles, inviting him with her smile, "Come with me. Stay here. With you, it's enough. I… you… We, together…! We'll have fun every day! Time will be enough; there'll be no need for us to catch it! …Just say 'yes'! We'll control the Abyss together, Oz–!"


	3. Alice x Oz x Alyss : Parallel Hearts

…_**OZ!**_

His eyes flickers open.

Oz Vessalius sits in his bed, as he catches his breath. He unbuttons his white top, and checks his chest. The blond sighs. It was only a dream. Yes, _only_ a dream. The hand of the clock doesn't even move half of the seal. He sighs with relief. He should be safe, for now.

The young Vessalius tried to sleep again, but he can't. Why not? Quickly, he tosses his covers and pillows, and yet, he still can't sleep. Curse those disturbing dreams.

"I can't sleep anymore…" he sighs, defeated. Going out from his bed, Oz goes to the window, and looks afar. It is still inhaled deeply, and focused on forgetting something. Afterwards, he walked back to his bed and started to sleep…

_A girl in white smiles happily, giggling at him as she ruffles his hair. Oz couldn't believe it! He can't move his body again! He looks at her, as if expecting something. No, he denies… You can't…_

"_Come with me, stay with me," Alyss, the intention of the Abyss, invites him, as she traces his lips, "We'll control the Abyss together! …__**Oz~!**__"_

"**No**!"Oz shouts, awakening from his nightmare, as he sits upright. He puts his hand on his sweaty forehead, as he pants heavily. "It's impossible… Sleeping is impossible…"

He sighs, and sits on the sides of his head. Oz holds his hands together, as he bows his head. Gently, he reaches for the clock on his side table near his bed.

"Nearly midnight, huh…" he mumbles to himself.

The clock's hand is noisy, and begins bending to 0:00 a.m...

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><p>.<p>

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• **:: **Black Rose **::** •

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• Black Rose •

– **Alice / Oz / Alyss** ::**Parallel Hearts –**

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"_I can hear your cries within the noise, I laughed at it and it only disposes all of my weakness…"_

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><p>"Stupid seaweed head, stupid clown…" Alice grits her teeth, as she walks down the corridors of where they're staying. "Why is everybody so stupid? Why are they <em>born <em>stupid to start with?"

The chain has one destination in mind. She positioned in front of his door, and kicked it hard.

"…Rise and shine; seaweed head! I, the great Alice–samacommands you to show me the way to the–"

"**Shut your obnoxious trap**," Gilbert Nightray, who was awakened, glares at her coldly with his golden eyes. He didn't even bother to look up to the idiot rabbit, and was still in his bed. Dark, menacing aura surrounds him for the first time. Alice gulps, finding Gil who's out of mood.

"Y–You…" Alice says, "You're only my manservant's servant! You mustn't interrupt me while I talk–"

"**Get out!**"

And that's the end of the journey to the scary awoken Gilbert's room.

B-Rabbit is once again strolling.

She complains, "Why do they have to make this miserable corridor so _freaking _confusing?"

Alice doesn't want to admit it, but she's **lost**. Lost in the endless corridors, in the middle of the night. With no one to ask where she is.

_Ah! _The chain has an idea. With a door to her left, Alice opens it with her hand. She saw the clown is sleeping soundly in his bed. Smirking, she tiptoes, and plans to wake the bells out of him, but…

"Alice–san... You don't want to wake Break up when he's sleeping~"

Startled, Alice looks for the small voice and she found out that it belongs to the clown's doll, Emily, which is beside the clown. She overreacts, ready to look freaked out, but Emily shushes her.

"Please, **don't ever attempt to wake Break when he's sleeping** if you want to live longer~"

"As if I'll do that," Alice says, raising her voice, "I'm the great Alice-sama…!"

Suddenly, Alice freezes in her spot, as she felt a cold wind cut through also felt a powerful presence, as if it passed her cheek by a centimetre, too.B–rabbit freaked out again, when she saw her hair cut off by a few strands.

Then, the sleeping clown shifts, and smiles, hugging his doll, "Ah, is that you, Emily? …Please don't be noisy, ne~? …Hmm, right. Back to candy land…"

The rabbit went out and closed the door silently. She started to walk again, while one thing is in her mind–The clown had traumatized her, she'll never go back to that terrifying room of doom, as she recalls it. But, Alice needs to find her paradise soon or she'll starve to death.

"Kitchen… Kitchen…" Alice drools like a zombie. "Meat… Precious, juicy meat…"

Why doesn't she look for her Sharon-nee? A tempting and bright idea, oh, but Alice knows better. Her older sister must be freaky terrifying when awoken, too. She doesn't want to expect anymore. Sighing, there's only one person popping in her mind – her stupid manservant.

"Geez," Alice sighs, pausing in her tracks and massaging her head, "Why doesn't he want us to share rooms in the first place? What a selfish servant, thinking only of himself…"

What is she saying? She shouldn't even be thinking of him right now. She slaps her cheeks. "I can do this myself! I can find my kitchen! Just wait! I don't need you, Oz!"

"_Die for me, Alice!"_

Alice starts to shake. Her annoying dream, the reason she was awoken, is bugging her. The Oz who wields her prized scythe, who takes her life away… It looked so real, as if it was really happening to her, and Alice knows it will never happen, deep inside.

But, for her to take _his _life away in the beginning was a little too much for her to handle. She never thought of harming Oz, nor even seeing him get hurt, but for her to kill him? Alice feels the painful throb in her chest. What's this? Is the Will messing with her again? That cursed witch…

She feels jumpy. Why? Alice can't stop thinking… about him, about Oz. She can feel it. She can feel a thick presence all around, out of all sudden. Alice turns around, and traces back her steps.

She runs, even though she's unsure where her contractor is. If he'll be gone, all she worked for to find her memories will be wasted. She can't afford to lose him.

There's no hurting in seeing Oz safe, right?

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><p>.<p>

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Oz Vessalius puts down the clock back to his table. He must be really sleepy. The blond lies back and start to close his eyes. Happy thoughts… Happy thoughts… Those are what he thinks of right now.

In a second, he'll be able to sleep peacefully, that's for sure… Please, even for just a night, let him sleep…

_DONG! _

Oz bolts from his position, grabbing his chest. He bites his lips, out of pain. Sweat rolls all over his neck. Oz pants, as he stops himself from screaming. "W–What's h-happening…?"

_DONG!_

Alice can feel it. She's near him. She's almost there. Almost there…!

_DONG!_

Different pairs of eyes slowly open from slumber…

Black feathers gather in a Nightray's room. A red eye opens from the darkness. The Rainsworth girl stands from her bed.

_DONG!_

Unbuttoning his white shirt again, his heart started to beat faster every second. The hand of the seal is moving fast, just like the thump of his heart. One, two, three, four... the steps taken to a complete revolution was taken.

"T–This can't be…" Oz mutters unbelievably. "I'm not even using Alice's power, but why? What's…?"

Only one is remaining, before the process is complete.

There still has to be a chance to stop this! Oz leaps from his bed, and heads for the door. If only he can get Gil and the others… especially Alice! As he twists the knob, the room he is in suddenly changes.

"_You will regret it…"_

"Stop," Oz mumbles, covering his ears, as if he heard these a million times, "This isn't a dream, isn't it? This is the real world. It shouldn't be possible for you to be here… So stop it! Awake me from this dreadful nightmare!"

**DONG!**

"G–" Emerald eyes widen in shock, as his knees drop to the floor. Oz can't hold it anymore. He grips his chest more. "…**Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa**!"

"_It hurts, doesn't it?" _the voice calls out to him again, loud and clear. _"I told you before… you'll definitely regret it...Indeed, it's painful, so painful that you want to die, but, that's the only way for you to be dragged down here, so you'll need to endure it. It was your choice, after all…"_

"…**Stop!**"

"_I asked you before… But, no, you answered me with a bullet. I asked you earlier… But, I didn't hear your reply; No, there's no need for you to reply anymore…"_

As his voice fails to shout more, and as his body slowly drops, hands pull him to make him sit on his knees. Those hands hold his hands, as it removes them from his ears.

"It's time for you to go, Oz Vessalius…" he heard that sweet voice tell him. "Say goodbye to all you will leave, my beloved..."

Chains suddenly spring from the floor. He struggles to be free, but there are many that chained his body, and limbs. A black hole is below him. It is the doors to Abyss, the one that opened up underneath him at that time of his Coming–of–Age ceremony. Oz recognizes all of it. All of his memories of that night rushes up to his mind, until the time he learned the truth.

'_Ten years ago had passed, after Oz Vessalius disappeared mysteriously…'_

Oz looks up. Is this really on purpose? Replaying the events of that night… where there is no one to help him? With only his right arm released, he reaches for the ceiling. Strange, that he even bothers to reach up.

Gilbert… Break… Sharon… Uncles Oscar… Liam… Many people appear in his head, as his memories of them increase. Too bad he failed them.

"I'm sorry, everyone…" Oz whispers, as he felt he's being dragged down to the darkness. "Ah. It seems like I've forgotten something important…"

He scans his memories. Who? Who could that last person be?

…Alice. …The B–Rabbit. …His 'sun'.

"N-No, I can't just give up myself yet…!" Oz protests, as he struggles to be free. That's right, he promised them many things. He can't just leave those promises and those people behind. He promised Elliot that he won't sacrifice himself anymore. He promised Gilbert that he'll stay. He promised everyone his true smile…

He promised her! He swore to Alice that they will retrieve her memories together! He must fulfil it! **All of it**!

"Stop being so persistent!" he shouts, as he tries to grab for something. …_Anything, anyone!_Oz can feel the end. Half of his upper body is in. Only his face and his reaching arm are free. He can't do anything about it, can he…?

"Need a hand?" A shadow is over him, as he blinks. Alice, the B–Rabbit, smiles, as she pulls him from the doors of Abyss. "That's why I told you, didn't I? You could've just let me sleep with you earlier!"

He smiles. It's different this time. Alice is here. She grabbed his reaching hand. He'll definitely get out.

"Stupid manservant, stop being cheesy, and let's help you get out of that stink–hole!"

"…Right!"

"…Oz!" someone calls them from afar, and it's Gilbert Nightray. Behind him, stand Xerxes Break and Sharon Rainsworth.

"…Alice–chan!"

"Partying without us?" Break smiles playfully, as he glances at the doors of darkness. His smile fades, as the tone of his voice changes. "**Perish before me.**"

Alice feels her power back to her. She eyes the seaweed head, as he nods and sweats a lot, because of the release of her seal.

"…_Too late~!"_

"What the–!" Alice exclaims, as her power disappears from her body. Oz calls her name, as he is near to getting sucked inside completely. They're stuck! She and Oz are both in the doors of Abyss, helpless. Alice curses in her head–the Will made her useless!

"…B–Break!" Sharon says with worry, "What's…?"

"Mad Hatter," Break mutters with difficulty. "He won't obey me… She's controlling him… the Will!"

"Raven, too!" Gilbert adds, as he pants greater. "He's sealing moreof the annoying rabbit's power instead…!"

Break blinks, noticing something. Quickly, he pushes Sharon out of the way. Sharp claws got him, as blood ooze out of his wound.

"…Break!" Sharon screams, as she covers her mouth.

"Now, what…?" Gilbert asks with pain, as he recognizes someone getting out of the Abyss.

"Don't interfere with the mistress' game," a raven–haired boy says, licking the blood from his knife–like claws. Cheshire walks to them, as he purrs, "Cheshire is your playmate, nyaaa~"

* * *

><p>.<p>

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**DONG!**

_That seal on his chest… finally strikes midnight with my 'clock'!_

"Alice…"a girl in white opens her half-awake purple eyes from her dreams… a dream of her beloved and a dream of a her favourite sofa, she pulls a leg up, as she rests on her raised knee. Her snow-coloured rabbit is beside her, as she tugs it closer.

_You'll regret it… picking the Black Blood–stained Rabbit over me…_

Alyss smiles the most crazed, yet joyous grin. She stands up, and pats the wrinkles off her clothes. She walks toward her 'Alice', and her 'White King_', _who are currently lying together on her white bed in the centre of her room.

"Sleep tight, Alice…" the Will hugs her sleeping sister, as she hums a tune, "…for you'll need more energy to escape from me this time~!"

She drops the chain's body to the floor, as another hole appears to suck her in slowly. Alyss chuckles happily. It's a special path for Alice. It is Alyss's prison–the deepest and lowest part of Abyss where no light survives,or a chain lives to see another day.

"See you later, dear sister~! I'll fetch you later for our tea parties~!"

Giggling, she sits on the bed, and watches how the Abyss swallows her dearest twin, bit by bit. Then, after Alice is gone from her sight, Alyss turns to gaze at him.

It's the real Oz, in front of her, sleeping peacefully like an angel. Finally, she can feel him, see him and talk to him in personal! Alyss needs to list the things they'll do once he wakes up! She won't wait again for him! Alyss is so happy. She can't put this happiness into words!

Alyss lies beside the blond, as she traces his jaw with her fingers. His skin's smooth, just like Alice's. She goes closer to him, as she feels his soft, blond hair on her hand and its sweet scent.

Until their faces are inches apart, Alyss smiles, tracing Oz Vessalius' lips, and whispers to him, "Welcome to the black Abyss…Welcome to my arms, Oz…"

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><p>.<p>

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**A/N: **The last update. Well, that's it _– _the _supposed _ending of this fic, and I forgot to put that these were only three in the first chapter, because I just want to revolve the fic among the three in their perspectives. I'll edit this fic soon. OTL But, I'm still thinking about it, because since the three were featured _first _(which means there _can_ be next), I've thought of putting a bit of Jack, Laice and Gle_– _*ahem* Oswald, but who knows, since I've lost the idea when I forgot to record in a notebook. Another fail. But, this 'let's-end-this-fic' decision can be changed, depending on what you think about it, or on me.

Anyway, thank you for reading and for your time. I hope that you enjoyed it even though it's kind of dark and stuff, because I'm not much into light kind of writing like fluffs, sweet stories that can make you puke rainbow, etc. and I'm glad that I managed to pull this off. Gratitude to **fallendestinyxx, GodofAWSOMEstuff, Kalax **and **Murcielagos** for the favorite; and alerts by **Kalax, GodofAWSOMEstuff, **and **LovelyDemon.** Also, I'm grateful for your reviews, and here are the answers for you. ^^

**Kalax:** Will's got to be _that _much special, that's why I tried to write her like that. My impression of her (twisted yet innocent) helped and I guess that did the job. Thanks. C:

**Kiria4L: **Thank you very much for loving it! I hope that this chapter satisfied you, even though it's not much.

**Persona: **I'm not currently into taking requests; however, I'll try to think about making one about it. Thank you!

**LovelyDemon: **Sure, I'd love to! xD lol. I think that she is, too, considering how she acts and the like. Thank you for loving this!

Until next time, my Pandora friends! C:


	4. Black and White

**A****/N: **Greetings! Before you, dear readers, read this new update from iPolaris, please be reminded of the warnings because of our rating. If there is anything wrong about what the authoress warned you about, feel free to correct her. Also, please be informed of the Legend as a guide for future chapters, too, if you are kind of confused. Thank you.

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**Legend: **

• _Italic _– for certain expressions, quotes, and dialogues in the past or memories. It can be also used in dreams. Don't worry, you'll be able to differentiate the use according to the situation in the story.

• **Bold **– stands for expressions.

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**Warning: **Mild cussing (_I'm really not sure if those words were **really **used for swearing), _Mild violence, and Xerxes Break.

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Now that you know all to be know, please enjoy. ;D

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><p>.<p>

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"And so, she finally snapped, didn't she?" the once playful and light voice now matches the dark with its serious tone, making the black water below him ripple.

"_I'll leave the rest to you."_

The man with the long, braided, golden hair could only laugh, as he remembered what that person told him before he 'joined the countless others of him'.

"Shall I come out to play with her, too," he asked, as he looked down with those emerald eyes at the slumbering body of a child with that short, golden hair. His eyes were drooped, as the lad slept peacefully inside.

Jack Vessalius went back to his trademark goofy smile.

"...Oz?"

The hero of the Tragedy of Sablier only chuckled, and looked up.

"Are you still dreaming, or are you... catching a glimpse of my memories?"

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><p>.<p>

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► **:: **Black Rose **:: **◄

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– • **Black and White** •** –**

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'_An endless dance, s__pinning in a cycle of death and rebirth, l__ike a dream within a dream…'_

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><p>Blood. Chains. Cries.<p>

These are what of the event that's currently happening right now at a house Pandora owns where they reside for the night.

"Darn!" a black–haired man cusses, as he nearly catches the boy that he despises of all things. "_Why does he have to be so fast_?"

The cat in a boy's body, clothed in black, jumps away, escaping Raven's chains.

As he did, he tried to think about the status of the game. It's been minutes since he started to play once again with those people his mistress assigned to him in this game, and it made him wonder how did these people managed to beat him the first time they met in his own playground. Well, this is going to be their last, isn't it–

Alarmed, Cheshire immediately runs away from his position, alerted of that hateful presence. He snarls and readies his claws, as he once again dodges those annoying chains, jumping into the air.

"He's not that fast, Gilbert–kun..."

That voice made Cheshire's red eye widen in shock, as he felt that man breathe near his ear.

Xerxes Break, with his sword drawn from the staff he's holding in the other hand, slashes the cat in front of him, as he even mocks, "You're only **_slow_**!"

"Kuh!"Cheshire growls, as he dropped back to the hard floor. _Oh, so now it's turning to this_? The cat thought deeply.

"Cheshire is tired of this pathetic game, nyaaa~" the boy purrs, standing up as he licks his own blood, trickling from the back of his shoulder. "Should Cheshire finish you all now, Cheshire wonders, nyaaa~"

"Should _I _end this for you now?" Break replies with a teasing smile back on his face, as he falls on his right foot first on the floor. Upon falling coolly, his smile turns out to be a fearsome one, irritating Cheshire more on purpose, "For _real_ and for _good_, you smelly cat."

"Cheshire is not smelly, nyaaa~!" the cat retorts with rage, as Break succeeds easily. "Cheshire will destroy you, nyaaa~!"

Out of all sudden, as the boy readies to attack, he drops on his knees instead, surprising him. Blood trickles from his wound at the back, as injuries begin to multiply on his body.

"Not if I'm here," Gilbert Nightray states, who is behind him, with the smoke coming out of his black revolver.

Cheshire, who lay with his face on the floor, tries to stand up and escape to counterattack, only to be pointed on his forehead by Gilbert's gun, who threatens him, "**Don't** you dare."

And so, you're asking how Gilbert can fight Cheshire, even if the latter is a _cat_? Well, ask Break, who now finds an opening.

If you remember correctly, although Gil doesn't yet come to overcome his fear of cats, he already fought with Cheshire back at its own territory, and so far, it seemed like Gilbert adapted to the situation – by thinking that 'this is a boy! A boy! A _cat _boy, but a **boy**! A boy and a cat will never be one! A _boy_! **I can do this**! Even though he's a cat chain, he's still a _boy _for Oz's sake!' and so far, he's pretty much alright with this.

Back to the battle, Cheshire snarls in defeat, as a certain girl emerges from the shadow, riding her Chain. Sharon originally wanted to fight alongside with them, however, she was asked by Break to hide for her safety, instead of using Esques for attack, too, since we already have Raven and Mad Hatter fighting the Will's trusted cat–servant.

"Break! Gilbert!" she chirps.

And of course, while she was out, she tried to gather information about Oz and Alice, both who were abducted by the Will earlier. However, the results were… No, she mustn't think of those now, since Sharon knows that somehow, Oz is alright with her 'sister', because she feels that the Will isn't that shallow to kill them on sight. She must've a purpose first, right?

Stepping down her chain, she did, as Esques bows and leaves with her permission, since the cat is caught.

"Sharon," Break mumbles, and he gives her a respectful bow. Then, pointing his blade at Cheshire's neck, he did, as he starts interrogating.

"As far as I remember, **you were already crushed and terminated painfully** by my lovely Mad Hatter, correct?"

At this statement, Cheshire snarls at him angrily, yet he obviously feels how painful it was when Xerxes Break tried to fully kill him at that time. He admits that the fear Mad Hatter engraved into his broken soul his mistress only sew back for him still remains, but not too much, since he needs to overcome his 'fear' of being pulverized again to fight as the Will's knight.

Break narrows his only crimson eye.

"So, how is this even _possible_, Cheshire the _weakling _cat?"

"..." the cat remains silent, until a certain seaweed–head snaps.

"Answer!" Gilbert commands, gritting his teeth, but Cheshire only laughs, as the yellow bells of his chimes with his laughter. Afterwards, he looks at Break and Gilbert, who have the priceless 'what–the–heck' expressions on their faces.

"Why, didn't you know, _humans_," Cheshire purrs, as he poisons his tone when he said the last word, before continuing, "Cheshire has nine lives, nyaaa~"

Break smirks, as he beats Cheshire's face with his staff, annoyed by a simple fact. Cheshire can only glare back at the clown. "_Of course_, why didn't we think of that, Gilbert?_"_

"So what? That doesn't change the fact that we'll kill you in that same number, so you better count it accurately, starting **now**," Gilbert said, gritting his teeth. Then, remembering what happened earlier, he stated, "She took them with her down there – Oz and Alice. Tell me, how do we get inside the abyss?"

"You can never go in, nyaaa~" Cheshire only says, "You'll be dead before you know it, nyaaa~"

"Why, you little–!"

"Ah, is that so?" Break smiles, leaning closer to Cheshire, interrupting Gilbert's outburst.

"Absolutely, nyaaa~" Cheshire confirms, smirking, "After all, it is Cheshire's_ mistress's _Abyss, Kevin–_chan_, nyaaa~"

This definitely ticks Break off. Quickly, with a crazed emotion, he prepares to strike the cat down with his Chain, summoning Mad Hatter.

"No, Break!" Sharon pleas from the corner, as she sees that Cheshire is essential in getting into the Abyss, and Gilbert shouts, realizing, "_It's only a trap_, you idiotic clown!"

Break definitely stopped with chains wrapping him, and he glares deadly at Gilbert, who chained him up, panting as he summoned his own Chain to stop the clown's madness.

"Why, _Raven_?" Break mumbled darkly. "**Release me **_**now, **_**or else**."

"Break!" a female voice shouted, and unluckily, she didn't make it. Sharon knows that it'll be late before they know it, and so, she commanded Esques to capture the escaping Chain, but it didn't catch the blasted cat in time, and Sharon can only say, "_Kyaaaaaaaaa_! Cheshi–!"

It's too late, _indeed_.

Cheshire, with a wild and wide grin on his face, used the chance, by mocking the former contractor of Albus the White Knight, and escaped from Raven's hold by sinking into the floor tainted with the color of death quickly, using his teleportation away from the two men.

With his shining, sharp claws, Cheshire ran on the walls of the room unnoticed by the two, and so that Esques won't be able to catch him, reaching the only witness – Sharon Rainsworth.

Unable to react in this split second and call forth her Chain back, Sharon froze in her position, as she felt cold breath tickle her neck together with claws that could take her life in anytime.

"That was easy, nyaaa~" Cheshire purrs, as Sharon hates how she let the only passport to the Abyss catch her off–guard. "The White Knight's contractor is still the same as ever; Alyss was right, nyaaa~"

Releasing Break, Gilbert glares at the clown, as the cat got their attention. Break couldn't help it, but he was somehow a bit _impressed_ with how the cat learned new tricks. He thought only dogs could learn, and he was _stupid _at the same time to fall for a pathetic trap he always used with twisting words. Emotions could really get the worst of him, and now, Sharon is held hostage by a cat because of those meddling feelings of the past.

"Release her!" Gilbert said, pointing his gun at Cheshire.

"Or _what_, Raven, nyaaa~?" Cheshire mocks coolly."Shoot Cheshire, nyaaa~? Why don't you try and see if it'll work, nyaaa~?"

"Tch! I'll get you _real_ soon...!"

"Well then," Break joins the conversation, as his crimson eye darkens under the shadows of his white bangs. "**Shall we do this the hard way again, **_**stupid cat**_?**"**

A Chain with enormous, black cape tied with silver chains held together with a skull design appeared behind the silver–haired man, with the same black top hat floating on top of it, filled with playful cards, and a red rose. Feathers and a blue ribbon are also included with the flowery decorations. Completing the sinister appearance of the Mad Hatter, its one big eye opened, indicating its awakening.

"Now," its contractor said, his smile never getting off his face, "Shall we dance, _Cheshire_?"

"_Show off_," a certain seaweed–head mumbles to himself, and if it weren't the fact that the atmosphere is pretty heavy, he'll roll his golden eyes, but he only earned a death glance from the clown, who also smiles creepily at the same time. Playfully, you must say, that it seemed as if the high Xerxes Break was never pissed off by a lowly cat earlier.

"Why, Gilbert–kun, _it's time_, anyway~" he sang, but as soon as he did, Break gains a cold expression. "I better be serious now before it becomes too late, don't you think?"

Gilbert, going into his fighting stance, muttered, "For you to be this serious this early, too... I guess I should also take care of this cat right away with you; For Oz and that stupid rabbit, too!"

Suddenly, the room becomes dark, as if they have been teleported inside the Abyss itself, and the place is being rained with black feathers. Gilbert Nightray already used Raven's illusions and darkness.

Cheshire, unaffected by the dominating feel Raven gives him, only chuckles, still holding Sharon with his deadly claws. However, he can sense that the real game is starting _now_ – the fight earlier is just a warm–up, isn't it?

Cheshire can't afford to lose, not after his mistress told him to play with them, meaning that they are just 'toys' needed to be broken, that's all. And now, it seemed like he needed to be serious, too.

But, before Cheshire could ever react, a crimson eye sparkles behind him, as Break nearly turns him into cat dust. Immediately, he turns around, using the yelping Sharon as a shield, and this didn't stop Break from crushing him. With that, shock and fear got the cat.

_He's willing to kill even his Master, nyaaa~!_

Having a fast eye, Cheshire realized that it was his limbs Mad Hatter is targeting, and so, releasing the girl, he did, as he leaps into air, biting his lip. Cheshire didn't know that! _Why_! When did that human became so _unpredictable_?

"_Kuh_!"

Remembering Raven, Cheshire tries his best to locate the cursed bird, but he almost mentally slap himself that Raven has its way with the darkness, and his location is a disadvantage. Immediately, he tried to overcome Raven's control of the dimension, bringing his _own_ territory on the surface. Nearly completing the process, Cheshire is near to success, when suddenly...

"**NYAAAAAAAAA**~!" the cat screamed, as soon as he dropped on the hard, black ground full of fallen feathers of a black bird. Cheshire looks at Raven's contractor with hate, his red eye glinting with anger. Snarling, Cheshire curses at Gilbert, who just fired at him, as his soft black paw holds the injured part of him, besides what the Hatter's contractor gave him in their earlier fight.

"It's not my fault you got shot while dazing in the mid–air," Gilbert feigns innocence, grinning with victory, as sweat roll on his temples. "You're the one who's challenging _only _Raven. You should now that I'm not the type of contractor that lets his chain all do the work. Besides, _I hate cats._"

"**Curse you**, Raven, nyaaa~!" Cheshire shouted, as the cat tried to stand up. The familiar sword of that person quickly appears out of nowhere and is now under his chin, as its owner is behind him.

"My, my," Break closes in behind Cheshire with an angry smile for him. "For you to touch Lady Sharon with those dirty paws of yours, you're really a bad cat, you know?"

With this, Sharon fixes her gaze at the cat who just tried to use her as a human shield. A coward and whimpering cat, that boy is. He better not mess with her 'onii–chan'!

Mad Hatter, floating behind his master, suddenly appears besides Cheshire, ready to turn him into instant cat dust forever, and make sure he'll never revive again in just the snap of its contractor.

Cheshire turns to see the clown holding the staff against him, and the cat only gives him a pitiful simper.

"For the both of you to last long like this – _Kevin Regnard_ –" With his crimson eye, Cheshire gives Break an amused look, which made Break want to finish this cat in a second more, "– and Raven's _pet –_" which Gilbert earned a despising glance, which just confused him with the words and irritated him for calling him his chain's 'pet', Cheshire smirked with meaning, "it's surprising and amusing at the same time, isn't it, nyaaa~?"

As Cheshire lets the darkness looms before him, he smiles, "For two humans to last long, controlling two of the powerful chains from the Abyss for quite the time, don't you think it's pretty ironic, nyaaa~?"

_PANG_! Sharp pain flows throughout their bodies, as soon as the stupid cat said it and as soon as the two men realized it.

Cheshire laughs, as soon as he knows that Raven's pet and Mad Hatter's contractor are soon reaching their limit; after all, they are _humans_. And the limit starts **now, **which is a victory for him, an advantage. Humans will never go beyond, even if time comes and passes by. How _pathetic_.

"N–No way...!" Gilbert mumbles, as he suddenly feels sleepy. The cat is right; they may haven't notice it, but he starts feeling the effects of overusing the power. He stumbles, but quickly, Sharon attends to him, helping him stand up.

"Why didn't I think of the time...?" he asks himself, panting. "The seal's starting to wear off...! _Don't_ let it be that, Raven! No matter what! Please!"

Sharon protests. "But, Gilbert, Cheshire's right! You're already at your limit; Break's, too! If that continues–"

"Lady Sharon..." the Nightray whispers. "You know we can't... We just can't...!"

Sharon couldn't argue with him now, but he's her valuable friend! She just can't leave him alone, and do it all by himself with Break! If she's only…!

But, Raven the chain didn't follow his contractor, and instead, brought them back to the room where the rabbit and her contractor were abducted, back to reality. This surprises them all, and this is what Cheshire the cat waits for.

As the last of Raven's power of darkness and illusions disappear, Gilbert shouts with anger. "Didn't you hear me, Raven! I told you to hold it...! Don't let that cat escape now–!"

"_**Stop it, Gilbert Nightray**," _a dark voice suddenly speaks in the black–headed man's mind. It's indeed shocking, since it's been a while when his own chain spoke to him in their first meeting.

"_Do not be such a fool," _Raven's voice echoes in his mind, _"Your body can't handle the power needed to continue to fight; Do not command me to kill you indirectly, since I've agreed to this contract you proposed because I sense something interesting in you. If you still want to command me this as your human body cries of pain, then just tell me to abandon the contract and cease your existence."_

What Raven stated didn't just surprise the Nightray, but also all of them, since it's the first time they heard Raven's inner thoughts, but Cheshire isn't even batting an eye, since he _knew _Raven from the start.

Speaking of this, the clown also drops to his knees, and Cheshire, being free of the seal of Raven's dimension, walks toward Xerxes Break fearlessly. He isn't much afraid of Mad Hatter anymore, since his contractor is already at his limits, thanks to the first contract he made with Albus the White Knight.

Struggling, Break tries to stand up, and it's Sharon's chance to help him, besides Gil. Quickly, the Rainsworth girl is about to approach him, but Mad Hatter stands in the way. _Why_? Sharon thought. _It couldn't be that Break_...!

"_You lowly cat_," Break hisses, still with a threatening smile on his face, "I'll get you, smash you again until nothing – not even a speckle of dust – of you remains, and dance on your dirty ash, afterwards, _once I get up from here_. You better start praying to your mistress now."

"Oh, really, former contractor of Albus the White Knight, nyaaa~?" A sore and touchy spot for Kevin Regnard, indeed, Cheshire muses. "Even if Cheshire would love to see Hatter keep his promise, sadly, Hatter _doesn't_ even _have _the strength to stand up and do so, nyaaa~ You would _never _get up from there, nyaaa~"

"But, I can still _control '_my other power', though," Break laughs in triumph, and he once again resumes a serious demeanour, "Stupid cat."

**_Shoot_**!

Fear washes again over Cheshire, as he feels danger in his instincts. That once scary and terrifying feeling returns, as he turns around to see Mad Hatter, its huge shadows on him as its big eye seems to already target Cheshire, ready to destroy him once again for eternity.

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><p>"<em>Cheshire, Cheshire, come, let us dance!"<em>

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**A/N: **Surprise~! :D You didn't expect this, did you, _did you_, **_did you_**, **DID YOU**? Because I didn't expect this, too. XD LOL. 3, 000+ for this chapter is a record, since I've only done like 2, 000+ in the previous chapters.

So, anyway, because of cute, little, _evil_ **plot bunnies** which don't want to leave me alone, too much **Pandora Hearts addiction** getting on my nerves (SERIOUSLY! I mean, did you see the latest chapter already? They should update like **ASAP **because I'm really _trying **hard**_ not to kill Jack like, **right now, **because he has a lot of explaining to do about our lovable Oz the B–rabbit! Come on, you've _just _got to, because is it just me or is Jun Mochizuki–sensei's just good at mind-effin' us? No kidding, and I'm _really _sorry for the language), and the **love for this first fic of mine in Pandora Hearts** (_actually, the second, but who cares?)_** and for you guys just motivates me** to finish this, you know. Fortunately, I've thought of a way to end this _in the most realistic and possible way_, and I'm working on it. Yes, like _every chapter for every single day of my vacation_ just for you, so you're assured that I'm going to complete this. And yep, that's all I think I want you to know.

Okay, time for our reply section, everyone~!

First of all, I want to thank **la catena di vento **for putting this fic to your story alert; **BrokenBlackCat **for putting this in your story alert and favorite, and _reviewing_ (I'm really surprised that this fic interested you. For that, I'm grateful it did pique your interest); and to all of you who reviewed last chapter. That really made me _glad_. To **LovelyDemon** and **Kiria4L**, here's what you're waiting for (_I think) _and I hope you like it~ **Murcielagos, **thank you for your comments. I think that Alyss needs more love because she deserves it. Will you stick with me until the end? #does le proposal pose ##shot

_Side note –_ If _anyone _still remembers the chapter in Pandora Hearts where Gilbert meets Raven or has something/anything related to their meeting, please **PM me** **ASAP**. In that way, you're helping the next chapter be finished as quickly as possible for the next update. Thank you. XD

Sorry for the long note, by the way. To the next chapter!


	5. Link of the Clock

**A/N:** The reappearance of the actors and actresses you're all waiting for on the stage, as the huge, heavy red curtains open to unfold the story...

Legend:

• _Italic_ — past dialogues, thoughts, fantasies, conversations in the mind unheard by other people.  
>• <em><strong>Bold and Italic<strong> _— strong emphasized emotions of shouts, expressions, exclamations, etc.  
>• <em><strong>Centered Bold and Italic<strong>_ — words said in a different dimension, unheard and unknown by anyone except the speaker himself.

**Warning: **Some harsh words; well, probably just two of them, but just to be safe, since we're K+.

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><p>.<p>

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"_Hey, you!"_

What is that voice…?

Opening his green eyes, Oz Vessalius finds himself in another place unfamiliar to him. He examines himself, if he's alright and fine, and luckily, he is, except for the fact that he doesn't know where he is now.

Oz tries to remember what the heck just happened in the first place for him to be here, but as he tries to know the last thing he knew, he only gets dizzy. Clutching his head, he frowns. Only bits of memories appear in his mind, and the fragments only carry scenes of darkness, a reaching hand, black feathers, and a white rabbit drench in blood.

"_Hey, you!"_

Wait, what?

Oz pause his flashbacks, and finds the voice. Then, as he realizes it, someone is in front of him. Knowingthat he sits down, he looks up at the person, and he almost jump out of his skin when he realizes that it's Alice.

"_Hey, you!" _she calls out again, and Oz replies the Chain by pointing at himself, because he's never sure if she wants something interesting from him or she'll just smack him as usual because Oz is Alice's manservant and property, and if he ever try to deny that fact, he'll experience something more than a smack.

"M–Me?"

"_Yes, you!" _Alice chirps happily with a creepy yet innocent smile on her face, a different one from her usual expressions.

Oz receives goosebumps, and with his cold hands, which are kind of strange, he tries to warm himself, by rubbing his arms warm. This person is Alice, _isn't_ she?

"_You'll catch a cold if you sleep in a place like this."_

Cold…? He once again examines his environment. White droplets of snowflakes fall down on them gently. Ah, so that's why. With his green eyes, his sight once again falls at the person in front of him.

Oz must have overlooked that he didn't notice.

**Black hair.**

"_My name is Laice!" _the girl who looks like Alice introduces herself, as she reaches out her hand to a surprised Oz.

**Red eyes.**

_"What is yours?"_

Oz regains his composure, and tries to appear good for an impression in his introduction. He better apologize afterwards for mistaking the girl as his 'master'. The Vessalius lad smiles, and opens his mouth to say, "I am–"

...Only to be cut off by an unfamiliar young voice, although, it sounds exactly the same like his.

"_Jack._"

What? Oz is sure he never–

"_Just Jack._"

Confused, Oz stands, and looks behind him, seeing the source of the voice of that familiar man who promised him the answers he was looking for in the beginning. That man behind the door in the white room... That man who saved him for a while from Cheshire the Cat in its own warped dimension... That man who owns that pocket watch, the medium of his and Alice's connection...

If it weren't for the serious situation where he thinks _no one _can actually see him, Oz would already feel embarrassed.

And what he saw before him shocks him as he turned around.

As if looking at himself in the mirror, Oz saw a child wrapped in dirty, brown cloak all over; his hair is as the same color as his, however, it's also a bit messy and dirty, longer and shaggy, as if it's never taken care of. Same emerald eyes as him stare at him with such intensity; those eyes held nothing, but emptiness and lost will. Even the features of their faces are the same, that if this 'Jack' got a haircut, they can stand beside each other, and they can be coined as twins by people.

No, this person... It's impossible for this person and that man to be the same person, right? Who would play a cruel joke on the Hero of a tragedy?

_It must be a cruel joke, if it __**is **__one. _

"What?" Oz whispers in disbelief. He plays his hands on his ears, wondering where he might have heard that. The 'Jack' boy in front of him, and the girl seem to have a world on their own for that second, as Oz tries to figure out the voice he hears inside his head.

...Inside his head? Not through the _ears_?

Okay, that's it. Oz completely lost his mind.

_Yes, I'm that same man who swore to tell you the answers to every question you hold, so as you please._

But, the voice returns to soothe his confusion, and at the same time, confirms his identity. Jack... He knows something about this!

**_Why, are you still dreaming, or are you... catching a glimpse of my memories?_**

"_Really?" _the girl laughs as the snow fell down in that lonely alley Oz is in as a watcher, together with that kid who looked exactly like him. "_What a dull name!_"

Oz doesn't understand. If this is indeed Jack's memories, then why is he showing him this? Shouldn't it be private?

"_You see..." _the raven–haired girl starts with a pout on her face. "_I've run away from home, and I'm **not** going back until __he __apologizes!_"

Baffled, Oz tilts his head; his eyebrows crunch.

Who is this girl, anyway?

"_Are you listening to me–"_

Oz isn't really into playing games with Jack, and he shouldn't bother to look deep into his ancestor's memories, if they are, since it's all Jack's and he has no right to peek, even though the two of them are related, and most of all, residing in one body. He is about to ignore the girl, and go on his way to awake and see the real world, when in that split second, he freeze, hearing his name from the girl.

"–_Oz?"_

Quickly, the blond turns to see the girl, but this time, he heard her say clearly, "_Are you listening to me, Jack?_"

Oz must have been deaf or something. He shook his head, and only followed the said memories, listening. It wouldn't hurt if it's only a few minutes, right? Besides, something tugs him to stay and watch for a while.

Why is this girl so familiar? No, no, it isn't because she looks exactly like Alice (although it's part of the facts, and with slight differences), but because of the familiar and warm aura she gives. This is also the same as when he first met Alice in the Abyss. However, with that tender aura comes a shivering feeling of fear, as he remembers his 'first' meeting with _that_ 'Alice'. He can still feel her cold hands grip his neck, choking the life out of him...

Then, the girl suddenly reacts, and this surprises Oz. Immediately, the girl jumps to the one behind him, and just as he's running to get out of the way, the girl passes through him. Yes, _through _him. Oz freaks out.

While the girl rants at the other boy, Oz inspects his body, terrified. Did he just obtain a ghost's ability? Whoa, he didn't know that he can do that. Well, at least, in his mind.

But, if it were in real life, he'll use this to scare everyone when he's free, and that'll be so fun; it's a good way to kill boredom and time. Just imagine Gilbert's face when he sees Oz waving his hand, and greeting "Hi, Gil~!" _while half of his body is poking through the wall of his room._ He can find a ghost cat, too, and add it as a wonderful present...

Then, he can go surprise Break. A shocked Break for the first time, and seeing his first ever 'shocked' reaction will be priceless. Oz will finally get a revenge on the clown who won't give him candies unless he goes on a mission instead of Break, and the clown's random pop-ups in his closets, using his attires there - will it be inner or outer - to tease him, _especially in front of Sharon_.

Speaking of Sharon... Well, he won't dare. He won't try to see if her paper fan works on ghosts because it might kill him for real. Sharon's... pretty _scary _when she's mad; what if she's afraid and surprised at the same time, with a hint of anger and embarrassment? Definitely, it will be Oz's end.

Lastly, Alice... What could be her reaction?

_"M-My manservant's... a g-ghost? KYAAAAA!" Alice screamed, as she fell to her knees. Tears came out of her eyes, as she buried her face into her hands. "Please, get away from me...!"_

_She sobs, crying to Oz, who succeeded in his operation, to leave her alone..._

Oz touches his chin, thinking. That's normal, and will be good enough. But, this is Alice that we're talking about, and she's _not_ normal, if you ask Oz. She's the opposite of every girl who'll normally cry and be scared easily. And his picture of the said Chain crying and begging him to stop? That's impossible. It's clearly _impossible_. Who in his right mind would put 'fear' and 'Alice' together in this reality? It'll be the end of the world if the two words mashes up together. It'll be a catastrophe.

He sighs, as he drowns in his thoughts of possible outcomes when it comes to Alice, and his thoughts only come to a possible conclusion, and likely result...

_A huge, sharp, and long scythe appeared in her hands, as Alice, the B-Rabbit, summoned forth her breathtaking weapon. Her eyes filled with rage, shock, and trauma, she positioned herself in a stance, as angry veins appeared on her forehead._

_Lovely._

_Meanwhile, Oz can only sit down, as he became visible. Looks like his ghost powers can get scared, and so, it hid, as he became a human again. He can only give Alice an apologetic smile, laughing nervously. _

_Wow, he screwed up._

_Alice, in return, grinned back, even though it's obvious that she's royally pissed, as she swung down her killer scythe, and Oz started to ran like heck, as if Death is behind him. _

_"DON'T MESS WITH ME, YOU IDIOTIC MANSERVANT! YOU DARE SCARE YOUR '**GREAT ALICE-SAMA**'?" he heard her shouted from his back, laughing maniacally and proudly. "THAT'S RIGHT; RUN, YOU FOOL, RUN! RUN WHILE YOUR LEGS ARE STILL ATTACHED BECAUSE I'M COMING TO SLASH THEM IN A BLOODY WAY FROM YOUR BODY!"_

_After posing a beautiful pose of doom with her hands on her hips, Alice flicked her brown hair back, and dashed toward her prey gracefully, like a cheetah running to get its tasty snack of zebra meat in a meadow, like the eagle accelerating fast to get its claws on its cunning snake, like a serpent crawling fast to eat its delicious mouse. Being a Chain has a lot more benefit and advantage, and soon enough, the Devil herself is behind Oz with a flaming aura of destruction he can clearly feel. _

_Of course, Oz didn't dare to look back, and just tried his best with his life on the line to dodge the attacks miraculously - with his body still intact and whole - of the Grim Reaper behind him as her scythe came down to and fro, back and forth, sideways, and random directions..._

Although that's a quite of ruckus, Oz still thinks it's fun. Besides, Alice and him will get to exercise their bodies, and that's a good thing for their health, right? Except for the scythe part which he didn't like, and will cause him a lot of debt to Break again. Oz already feels so sorry for the poor things and stuffs that will suffer under her wrath. He better think of a way to surprise her without having her release her weapon and annihilate everything she sees...

"_...Don't you want to ask me a lot of questions? Such as...'Why am I dressed like this on a snowy day'?"_

As the memories snatch his attention again, Oz could laugh at this moment when the girl shows him a cute face. This girl reminds him so much of Alice - her actions, tantrums... Alice? Wait, thinking about her, where could she be? Did he overstay? What time is it?

Oz can't calm down. He needs to find her.

"_**Get away**__! What's __**wrong**__ with you?"_

The girl and Jack are now together in the cloak, giving them warmth. Oz can't help, but to smile a faint simper, since this feels so nostalgic. He wonders why.

"_So, you finally asked a question," _she said, grinning with victory. "_Are you interested in me now?"_

As Oz also looks at the red–orbed girl, he notices that her eyes are pulling him in, luring him to see more of her. Why? Why does this unknown girl make him feel that? It's freaky. No, not freaky. He can't seem to find the right word.

**THUMP**!

"_You... You're not afraid of a 'Child of Misfortune'?_"

**THUMP**!

The next thing Oz Vessalius knows, he collapses; his body drops to the cold pavement full of the white blanket of soft snow, giving in to a familiar lullaby as his eyes closes to see the last of the girl's face full of worry and concern.

Unheard shouts.

Cold falling drops of 'snow'.

Scattered names, burning in the back and deep inside his mind...

"_H–Hey! Jack! __**Hey**__!"_

L a i c e.

"_Hey! Oz! __**Hey**__!"_

A l i c e.

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><p>.<p>

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► **:: **Black Rose **:: ◄**

– **Link of the Clock –**

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'_On snowy days like this, _

_My heart dances as if something might appear anytime to take advantage of this white stillness…'_

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><p>Yes, it's only a dream, an odd dream including Jack Vessalius, the 'Hero' of the Tragedy of Sablier, a prank by his stressed and confused mind.<p>

Why? How does that connect to anything?

The young Vessalius is pretty sure that for a dream, it's strange and mysterious, but for him to know a girl named 'Laice' in that kind of a realistic dream? Come on, Laice is an anagram for 'Alice'. Surely, anyone can notice that, right?

Why does it always trace to her? What does it means?

He's sure that the Hero they always looked up to who resides within him has the answer, and that what his instincts tell him is probably–he doesn't know–_true_? Why? Why does his heart being unsettled and uncomfortable? Why does it tell him that all in front of his eyes are the _truth_?

"Why are you… doing this…? What's… your point in doing so, Jack…?"

Hearing the child behind him mumble in his sleep, inside the deepest part of their mind, Jack Vessalius turns around and walks towards the sleep–talking boy. Ruffling his soft golden locks, Jack smiles, as Oz looks like baffled with his pained expression before him.

"You should… keep them to yourself…" the boy mumbles, unable to open his eyes. "What's… happening…?"

"Your questions will be answered soon, so please wait patiently," the man only replied with a light tone, not matching the situation's call. With his other hand, a golden pocket watch he holds, and opening it, a gentle lullaby started to sing.

"It's because of the watch and its time, so that's why you need to know before it runs out, and before _she _stops thinking about an invitation she'll never forget on a surprise visit. I can only tell you that it's near time before '_you' _wake up…"

"Because if '_you'_ won't, I won't be able to be with her, you know."

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><p>.<p>

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The Will of the Abyss is currently playing with her stuff toys in her play room.

She does this to kill time, you know, since her beloved is still sleeping. Odd, he should be awake by now, since their tea time is approaching.

Oh well; Alyss isn't afraid of losing time because she can always have it, and she will never lose it. In fact, she can rewind time again and again, but doing so even for the humans who were dragged down into her room – if they were lucky and haven't lost their sanity _yet – _it can be tiring, and sometimes, _boring._

However, there's a certain time Alyss wants to go back, but it didn't matter anymore, since the 'he' in this time is already by her side, and together, they'll conquer time here in their playground and do whatever they want together forever!

Surely, she can also play with it either slowly or fast, depending on her mood, but every different moment that happens in a second must be precious, and will never bore her out. Just like at that definite time when she met that interesting red–eyed fellow. Ah, what is his name again?

Alyss pouts, as she can't remember; he gave her a good show, though! What a waste for a remarkable human.

Oh, but Alyss is being patient~!

Like **now**! Like waiting for that person to wake up~!

Alyss purposely makes the time flow slowly, so that he'll wake before their tea time, freezing her grandfather clock at the corner.

"Hmm? What is it, Bill–kun?" the white–haired girl smiles, as she picks up a doll, who asks her who that is, as she sorts them out, picking. She gasps in an overreacting manner, even putting her hand over her agape mouth, and showing the appropriate facial gestures. Girls should know how they act, and Alyss is a girl, too, you know! She perfected every possible gestures and expressions, but she will never reach her beloved's level. He is _too_ perfect.

Unbelievable! How could this little one _not _know about him!

"You didn't really know about him, sweetheart?" she still asks.

The doll continues to stare at her, giving its thoughts. Alyss's smile turns to that of a frown, and her grip at the poor toy becomes hard, once she heard them all. The doll could only fear for its existence now.

_Unforgivable_!

"**No**!" the whitehead cries madly, her violet eyes full of anger, "Not _that _Jack, you _idiot_!"

"She's mad, she's mad, she's mad~!" the other dolls chant in horror, filling the quiet room of noise. They rattle and giggle around the white girl, celebrating. "Alyss is mad~! You made her angry~! Angry~! Angry~! Bad Bill~ Bad, bad Bill~!"

A tear slowly drop from the cursed doll's black button, followed by droplets of blood. Alyss lets go of the said toy, and stands up from her seat, her purple eyes screaming in irritation and anger at the same time.

"_Shut up_, all of you!" the girl in white commands, afraid that her beloved might wake up in a foul mood and get mad at her. No, Alyss didn't want him to be mad at her, and make that their first interaction with each other; that cannot be. She waited for him to arrive until this day, and there's no way her toys would mess that first precious moment she planned ever since she got her eyes on him.

"**SILENCE**!" she hushes in her rough voice. "You'll _all _wake my Oz up!"

Her dolls and toys indeed follow her, and all became lifeless again.

_She's seems to be mad~! Alyss is angry with us~! We made her mad~! Oh no~! _

The following thoughts enter Alyss's mind spontaneously. Violet eyes widen at what she'd just done.

_We're so sorry~! So sorry, Alyss~! We didn't mean to~! Alyss, pardon us~! If you'd like to, __**please destroy us**__~!_

"**No**," Alyss replies as she sits again on the checkered floor. She _hates_ those words! There's no reason for pointless destruction of her pals! How could they say that, where in fact, she takes real care of them so that they won't get hurt? Alyss takes good care of them because they are her loved ones, too, but how can they throw away her affection _easily_? She's so scared that they would get holes in them, dust on them, that's why she always checks them after they play and she'd do anything just to mend and protect them, and now, they, her precious little ones, are telling her to _destroy_ them?

How laughable. If that's so, then she probably did that already in the first place instead, and let that hateful boy cut them out into bits of pieces with his blasted scissors... which of course, will mean signing his death warrant for Alyss won't allow that. That despising boy with his brother already trespassed the Abyss, _and_ her room once, and Alyss won't allow that to happen for the second time. The both of them will be dead before they know it. So, that's why, the Will made the Abyss more secured and guarded from now on. But, these days, some of her Chains are decreasing, and left the Abyss.

Why? Does they hate it here? But, as the Will, she does her best to make this place wonderful, doesn't she? Ah, that's right! Alyss forgot that those Chains have responsibilities for their existence; unlike her, they couldn't just sit and wait for their disappearance here in the Abyss for so being to able to live in here for so long. They have to repay her by bringing interesting humans here for her to play with. Ah, but these days, she can't find humans that don't easily break and snap once they feel the madness of her room; they're too fragile.

But, Alyss didn't need them much now. They can only be brought her to relieve her boredom, and give entertainment to her and her beloved. After all, she has her Oz here with her; what more could she want?

Then, that hit her.

Magically, a white handkerchief she summoned appears before her, floating in the air. Her hand immediately grabs it gently and wipes Bill's tears of blood. And now, seeing her white dress with droplets of crimson, she'll need to change into another set of her white clothes.

"I'm the _sorry _one," she continues softly, "I said something wrong to all of you because of my emotions. I didn't think that I've hurt all of you in that way just to protect him and my selfishness. I apologize greatly, everyone."

Alyss beams an apologetic smile.

"_Alyss shouldn't be sorry~! Alyss is right~! Alyss is forgiven~!"_The dolls chant silently, but merrily in her head.

Of course, Alyss never should have been rough in the first place, even if that person is the reason. Besides from the fact that she'll look _ugly_ with such inappropriate manners for a woman that she learned through the long–haired blond and what Cheshire sometimes gives her from the world above, these dolls she picked from the outside world through Cheshire's help stood as her friends in the time that passed, and that she's very grateful she has them because through them, Alyss, for a time, won't be alone with her Cheshire. It lessened the solitude and boredom in the Abyss, even just for a while for her, so it's also her fault, anyway.

"Thank you~!" the white–haired girl chirps, feeling a wash of relief.

Then, instructing her 'friends', she did, and they helped her sort themselves up.

Afterwards, she stands up and goes to her cute closet, located in the other direction of the room she separated from 'his'; that doesn't mean Alyss can't duplicate her room, does it? Oh, how she'd like to decorate 'his' room she made for him, too! But, that would be for him to decide freely, and Alyss would love to help him if he wants~!

Picking another white and elegant dress, Alyss changes her clothes. Even though red is sometimes captivating, like the blood on her pure clothes, she has always disliked it. And she's also sure that her sleeping one will be disturbed greatly if she shows him something red; after all, that blasted crimson colour is not hers – it belongs to her dirty, rough and not lady—like sister — or she had become a brute by now — she has always despised.

Anyway, Alyss has three possible guesses of what may happen if she persists with that hateful crimson.

He'll go either crazy (which Alyss resists the temptation to), hate her (which can go like, for an eternity and Alyss, _definitely_, doesn't want that) or ask in numerous questions of where her precious sister is (which is the most painful, if you'll ask her).

The Will would prefer the first, if she would. At least, he's with her, plus they'll _even _complement each other. But, if that happens, Oz might never be her 'Oz' again.

And that piques her curiosity.

But, sometimes, knowing too much might be very painful, so Alyss won't risk it. _For now._

After changing her usual clothes into her other clean one, Alyss steps out of her closet. Several small rabbit–like creatures hop in her room, and get the sullen clothes she once had. Time for disposal as usual~!

Alyss has to practically walk slowly, just to avoid stepping on the chains the core produced for giggles, as she gracefully steps on the floor carefully, as the cute and cuddly creatures hop with her dress. With her finger, a door appears at the end of the checkered–floored room – the same door he tried to go out to – and the creatures jump outside, floating to the shallow side of the Abyss, since underneath is a place no chain must go, unless with her permission.

The white–haired girl runs with her footsteps light yet quick to her comfortable sofa, jumping in to sit. She lies on her sofa, her long white hair flowing onto the shiny floor. Looking up with her violet eyes, she waits again for his awakening.

"Hmm~~~!" she hums a melancholic yet sweet tune, as the Will closes her eyes.

As peaceful as it is, she didn't know that what happened next is that she is suddenly standing, and it is really surprising.

"_Oh, my," _Alyss states, her hand on her mouth, feigning an emotion she didn't really feel."_How did I end up here…?_"

Something just has to suffer under her building wrath now.

Alyss is–_was_–just waiting, wasn't she? Then, how did she come to this? She is floating in a misty air, and a black atmosphere she is in. There is nothing she can see in the fog, and there is also a lot of gray and cloudy smoke around her. Strange that she can even breathe without a care.

Putting her arms across her chest, she puffs. What the heck is she doing here? Oz might awaken _anytime_! And if he does, she's not going to be there to greet him!

"So annoying," needs to figure what to do now. She's lost in a dimension unknown to her, out of all sudden. She can't even go out of the Abyss, but why is she here?Most of all, why is she keeps feeling that she seems to forgot something important?

Is it Oz?

_No_, he is in her warped room in safety. _No one_, not even a _thing_, can enter her special rooms.

Is it her dolls and toys?

_No_, she just sorted them out in her specialshelves back in her part of the rooms. There's no way she'll forget them since the minutes they shared with one another in this day.

Then, suddenly, she heard a piercing hiss, one of that hurt. And it's so familiar. Afterwards, cries of a fight broke out, and voices took turns into speaking. Words she can't recognize, meanings she can't understand – that'swhatAlyssheard in her head through her ears.

Why? Why is she…?

A certain voice, which stood out, broke her daze. Her purple eyes, in shock, flicks to where the voice can be.

"_**Perish before me!**_"

That familiar voice, once mixed with sudden fright and notable bravery, is now filled with cold power and majesty.

"_Shut up, nyaaa~!"_

Something black whooshed past before the Will;its white, sharp claws slashing thatwhite–haired man, but the said man was too quick for him, dodging his attack.

"_Raven, chain him up!"_

A certain Baskerville's voice rings, summoning a big, black bird covered in numerous black feathers.

Why this one seems _so _familiar, too? And to top it all, she _knew _he is a Baskerville. Why?

Could it be that he's that wretched brat's _older brother_?

It can't be; Gilbert is already dead, isn't he? She saw him, being carried with Vincent and all, at that time with a fatal injury...!

A boy in black only snarls at that black–haired man, but the white–haired man beats the poor boy with his long staff at his small back.

The dark–haired boy gasps in pain sharply, and coughing up much blood, he did, as he tried to stand from his fall, but a revolver was pointed onto his forehead. His only left red eye widens in surprise, but regains his composure with pride still. The boy was stubborn, smiling a fox–like grin to his enemies.

Smiling back teasingly, the white–haired man did it, too, and drew his sword from the staff, its sheath.

Violet eyes widen at this scenario, and a painful shout came from her forced throat.

"_**N–NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**_**…!**"

Those same purple eyes open in shock and hurt, as the Will of the Abyss awakens from an unexpected nightmare. That's right, she _did _forget something – no, someone as significant as her companions.

"_Cheshire_…!

Alyssjumps off her lovely sofa in a lady–like manner and runs towards the center of the room, looking at the frozen clock, which now ticks and tocks , as she saw the clock strike and freeze at exactly 2:00 of the afternoon of her Abyss's time, Alyss immediately smiles in an unbelieving manner.

She had just let her pet's entertainment exceed than what she permitted.

_Stupid Alyss_! She'd love to scold herself~! _You fool_! She forgot to take account of the time! Well, since it isn't running out _here_, anyway.

Suddenly, a cold and chilly air swept inside her room, giving her chills. There is _never _a moving air here in the Abyss, unless her will. Then, something… it _must _be a bad sign–!

Quickly, using the hidden eyes of the Abyss, she traces her pet down, and… _found him_!

"…'my other power', though, **stupid cat.**"

Alyss turns around, and with her sharp glance, his room is closed off from her own world for a while. She can't let her properties suffer!

Purple eyes widen as she felt the other chains around him start moving, ready to pound her best friend into a series of dust again.

Pained, hurt, traumatized, the Will of Abyss gathers her strength and authority, screaming from the bottom of her heart in the center of her dimension from the inside of the black Abyss.

"_**CEASE**_** those foolish antics, **_**Mad Hatter**_**, IN THIS INSTANCE**!"

_That chain of destruction better follow or it'll be the one destructed_! Why does Mad Hatter have to be created with that kind of troublesome ability? Curse that man…

She knows now. Alyss remembers that pitiful man. Kevin Regnard! That _tricky_ Kevin!

Alyss already think of ways how to torture it with its contractor – _no_, **contractors**. That Baskerville child, allied with that despicable man… It's a _sin_! An unforgivable **sin**!

She follows this with another hard cry of order.

"_**STOP**_**, **_**Raven**_**, with your pathetic mischiefs NOW**!"

Inhaling, Alyss lowers her head, as she tries to dominate the two of the most powerful chains in the Abyss, and she, so far, is succeeding in immobilizing them. Actually, she can really make this a child's play, and toy with them – chains and their contractors alike – but, right now, Cheshire is her goal.

Using the power of her Abyss, Alyss, its Will, reaches out with her hand, as she slowly looks up. Concentrating on opening a small gate for her friend, with her reaching out gesture, she moves her arm back to hers, closing her hand, as if she already picked a fruit out of the tree.

Struggling, as soon as a crack is mended, letting her pet escape, Alyss exhales in a quick relief, releasing the Hatter and Raven. It'll be a quick second when her cat arrives, and on her sofa, she waits.

Soon enough, she starts to hear the soothing chimes of bells as her violet eyes saw how her pet falls slowly from the open ceiling of her warped room.

"Cheshire!" Alyss says, fussing over her black cat, as she runs off towards him. She lies the silent chain down; her tears are flowing, as soon as she saw Cheshire's injuries, with his blood dried out. Immediately, she calls out her other personal chains to help her nurse him.

"I'm sorry that I didn't notice you played that dangerous game too far!" Alyss admits, breaking down. "I didn't know! I didn't mean to! I'm really sorry, Cheshire!"

Cheshire the cat looks at her with an assuring smile on his face, an expression only his mistress sees. He states softly, "As long as it makes Alyss happy, Cheshire will play 'knight' for Alyss forever… Only for Alyss, nyaaa~"

She brings his hurt paw to her face, rubbing it gently, as her chains treat Cheshire's wounds.

Alyss assures back, "I promise that I won't let you do those kinds of stupid things alone from now on, Cheshire. I can't afford to lose you. Not now. Definitely not now when we're all together! You, me, Oz and Alice…!"

"Alyss," the cat purrs delightfully. "Cheshire isn't dying, nyaaa~ Please don't cry anymore, Alyss, nyaaa~Alyss knows that Cheshire is hurt the most when Alyss is sad, nyaaa~"

"Oh, _shut up_, you stubborn cat," Alyss replies as she said it playfully, her hands erasing the existence of her tears. "You'll really _never _be killed, because you're _my_ knight, remember?"

Cheshire only laughs softly, as he gets better. His mistress is really the best he can ever have, the most loving mistress in the whole world; he can't wish for anything more, anymore. Well, except for _that_ wish – his wish to be by Cheshire's other mistress's side, too. To see her smile, and to see her play with his Alyss for once, he can give anything he has.

But, now isn't the right time for that. His mistress has other plans for his other mistress, and he has to wait patiently.

After Cheshire the Cat, the Will's pet, is healed and treated, Alyss and Cheshire are both resting on the sofa, waiting for that time. The clock once again resumes its duty to run time in the Abyss.

_Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock…_

The clock started to pace slowly as it could, waiting for his eyes to open...

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**A/N: **And I've thought of not updating this yet, but oh well; you guys waiting patiently is worth it. c: Record for 6, 000+ words, baby! Isn't that special? Expect the next chapters to be a bit long, though. So, anyway, let's start again this chapter with smiles and gratitude to **Knakx **and **Akua-Shuzen** for the fave; **Omnis Law **for the alert; and thanks for the wonderful comments for the previous chapter. They're _five_! I'm so happy! *sobs*

Anyway, I think I won't be updating for a while (well, for a short time, and I hope it won't be too long), because of certain issues in my life that affects my writing that I don't need to elaborate anymore. But, I've decided to put up a poll in my profile, in case you don't know, and I'll appreciate your votes that'll meld **Black Rose, **since I like democracy for all, meaning, you get to choose what you want and expect~ It's open and will be closed once we get to the near-end of the fic, so feel free to drop by my profile sometime.

**Murcielagos: **Thank you very much, and I will. Really, I just forgot to put that up in the first chapter (you know, the fact that this fic was really supposed to be completed in _just_ 3 chapters?), and I'm sorry for that. I didn't really expect that many people will actually read this... *laughs nervously* Nah, I'm not that kind of person, and I'm thankful for giving me some things that I'm looking for. S-Sudden? Well, I apologize for that. I'm not really good at writing fight scenes though.  
><strong>Kiria4L:<strong> Aw, I felt you, so that's why I've decided to get out of track for this. Thanks.  
><strong>Akua-Shuzen:<strong> Thanks for the review; it made my day~

And it seemed like some of you like Xerxes Break last chapter. I really like him, too, so... *laughs* Yeah, and Break likes to thank all of you, too, for the fanclub and squeals from the previous chapter lol. Surviving Cheshire did made our clown _very_ mad, though, and made Alyss and some of us glad! Cheers! xD

_Side Note — _Care to play a game here, everyone? Guess who and what's tagline is above, and all of my virtual cookies I've baked in the Internet with all of my heart are yours! Just include your guesses in your reviews, and researching is... well, sorry, but prohibited (I'm watching your back...). To be a Pandora fan, you must know and feel the character! So, yeah, I'm just kidding with the research thing. Go~! ;3

Anyway, I'm going to shut up now and disappear. Onward to a surprise chapter next time, so watch out for it!


	6. Fall by the Light of the Moon

That night, they couldn't sleep. Rather, they _won't _just go to sleep.

2:50, that was the exact time the Nightray, and the Rainsworths finished their arrangements and treatments after an unexpected fight with the Will of the Abyss's most trusted servant, and also, her kidnapping of the young Vessalius, who survived from ten years ago and his Chain, the B–Rabbit, who is the most powerful Chain in the Abyss.

Everyone was silent at that time; the seaweed–head was gloomy, as if he'd been just buried alive, the clown was down because, well, he didn't manage to exterminate a stupid cat which should have been dust a long time ago, and the Rainsworth girl, who was lonely and self–loathing, somehow – letting the Will of Abyss attack them unexpectedly, and Cheshire the Cat just _owned_ them in just one night? That's actually a good reason why they were very like that so.

But, that hateful cat was cheating. He was an annoying and irritating _cheater. _She was helping him, they knew. Of course, Cheshire _was _her pet, after all, even until _now_.

The caramel–haired girl can't take it anymore…

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><p>.<p>

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► **:: **Black Rose **:: **◄

– **Fall by the Light of the Moon – **

_._

"_A bird's chirp… Sunshine flowing in… _

_Mmm~ isn't this the best setting for having tea!" _

.

"_It's imprudent._

…_If it's fine with you, will you have tea with me after this?" _

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><p>Rather than sulking and her own self–loathing because of her carelessness, she stood up from her seat, noticing that the tea and sweets she prepared for relaxation weren't even moved by the two.<p>

The pinkish–cranberry–eyed Rainsworth got the small pitcher of honey, and poured some to the cups of the gentlemen.

"You both should drink this Chamomile tea while it's warm," Sharon insisted, hoping that the mood go lighter.

"Made from Chamomile herb, which is just delivered earlier, this tea helps calm the body's nerves, and aims for relaxation. Even if you eat these sweets now in the morning, Chamomile tea also helps digestion. Don't worry about on how to sleep immediately; you'll be fast asleep before you know it because of its sedative properties."

Sharon, with a spoon, mixed both of the cups, and returned it to their small plates.

"Come now, drink," she said with an inviting smile, but none of the two moved a muscle.

Sighing, Sharon sat back, out of awkwardness, and got her tea. Maybe she should've been also like them – quiet like a mouse, pondering about tonight's event, but she _isn't _an idiot. Life _must _go on, and instead of living in the past, they must go forward. Besides, everything is going to be fine _soon_.

Ah, but Sharon wouldn't share her words of wisdom now. Let the guys look for themselves, no?

Break isn't slow. He knew that, and he even scolded her for doing such a dangerous thing. It would be a little time before the Will actually notice Sharon. He's also a mad genius; after all, he can cover his own.

Although Gilbert, the Nightray child, can sometimes be calm and thoughtful, he always uses shield to hide the small Gil–chan within him – that fourteen–year–old crybaby with so much emotions, plus when he's showing them, he can be too much that he's overflowing, and sense doesn't knock into his mind anymore.

After a minute of thinking, Sharon was about to retire for the night, giving up, when suddenly Break reached out for the tea, sipping the flowery and mild drink. Then, putting it down, he grabbed a brioche, eating it without a sound.

_Finally, someone got himself back, even just a little_.

What happened next wasn't expected.

Break, getting all the brioches, cookies and pastries he can, quickly stuffed all of them into an unsuspecting Gilbert's mouth, surprising the black-head. In order to do so, of course, he leaned onto the table's area with no food or utensils, and closed in his target, which is just across him, since Sharon was sitting at his left, which is the center.

Sharon quickly got her paper fan behind her secret pocket, and just as she was about to hit the clown with sense, Gilbert already did that, only to fail, as the clown dodge and went back into his seat.

"So, is it tasteful, my love~?" Break resumed with his playful attitude, biting into a piece of a cookie. "Emily whispered to me to give you some, and so, I did~! I hope you like it~!"

Coughing, Gilbert shouts, flailing his arms, "_My love~_ your butt! You _were _trying to kill me with _pastries_, idiot! And what doll, in its right sense, would talk to you about feeding me, even if it _is _alive! I can eat by **myself**, _thank you very much_!"

**SMACK**!

"**How dare you assassinate Mister Gilbert with those poor, innocent cookies, Xerxes Break**_…_!" Sharon scolded, "Don't you know _respect_! Those pastries are baked with time, effort and _love_, and yet, you only – H–Hey, why are you laughing? I'm still not finished!"

Said clown laughed his guts out, as a bewildered Gilbert and an annoyed (supposedly) Sharon looked at him.

"Why, Lady Sharon, you really know if something's interesting, don't you?" a serious yet light tone came from Break, who was now smiling. "If you can make this happen in minutes ago, we should've already slept, you know."

"It's not my fault that you're acting so slow," Sharon replied, resuming drinking the rest of her tea. She just came to ride with their jokes, so it's not her bad. "I figured out that gentlemen _have their own way of things_, you see, and I'm not missing it for the world."

"Ah, what a hardhearted and cruel lady that sadistic girl is!" Break smirked, earning him a painful bash of a paper fan on the head.

"Please shut your mouth up."

"Enough of this," Gilbert suddenly joined the conversation, making it dark. "Why are you both still laughing and talking like nothing? Oz and that idiotic rabbit were pulled in by the Will! Shouldn't you be in panic or frustration or _anything_? Come on!Tell me you're feeling it! I hate it… I hate the way you don't even _worry _about those two! The Will must have been torturing them now or _worse_! I mean, are they _even _alive? If I still don't know the next minute, I don't know what I'll do. I'll _die_!"

"Actually," Sharon started after a few moments of silence, finishing her tea. "**I'm **_**really **_**worried** about Oz–sama and Alice–chan ever since the Will abducted them; Oz is the Key of Pandora, a great companion he is, and the descendant of the Hero of the Tragedy of Sablier, and Alice is an important ally, a significant piece that may turn this whole game of 'chess' upside down in one move and my 'younger sister', after all.…But, to make yourself suffer more than them, isn't that wrong and depressing if they were to find out?"

"Life must go on, Gil–chan. How many times have I taught and told you that! Learn it, at least once, it'll help," Break continued, who was now eating a lollipop. "Sometimes, bad things happen in life, and there's nothing you can do about it, _unless_ you stop acting so immature and stupid. And right now, the best thing to do is to relax and reflect."

"So, basically, what you're trying to say is to forget, eat, drink and chill out?" Gilbert asked in an unbelieving tone. "**Heck**, I'll kill myself now rather than do all of that."

"Then, you won't be able to find Oz–kun with Alice–chan," Break pointed out playfully. Gilbert gave him a meaningful glare of '_Thanks a lot for reminding me_'.

"Do you even_ know_ why we're relaxed? Let me tell you _after_ then, Master Gilbert," Sharon asked, and when Gilbert managed to stop himself from committing suicide, she continued, "This is the first step in order to have a clear mind. You were always clouded by your worries and fears that's why you never see the most important thing. In that way, you'll be able to calm down, and think clearer. We're _humans_, after all, _Gilbert_, but that doesn't mean we're always limited. Please, have a thought on that."

_Sharon was right_, Gilbert concluded, thinking about what he's done. Basically, he just mourned already, and punished himself for not helping Oz back there. He's got to do something with his baffled heart and unclear mind, if he wants to change for the better, and get Oz with the stupid rabbit out of that Abyss for the last time.

"Okay, since you've calmed down now, even for just little, but enough," Break said, standing up. "I can tell you all about the plan."

"The plan?"

"Yes, you heard right," Sharon answered with a grin on her face, "A plan to bring back Master Oz and B–Rabbit from the Abyss."

"And that is…" Break continued, thrilling Gilbert off his seat.

There's finally _hope_! Gil can recover his dearest friend and master back together with his stupid chain. Gilbert was _so _happy!

Come on, Break, tell it–tell it–tell it–tell it–tell it–_tell it–tell it_–_**tell it**_–_**tell**_** it**–**TELL IT**–!

"…something we can talk about in the morning!" the clown finished, as he sped off out of the room quickly with a yawn, "Good _night_, everyone~!"

_Wait what_.

What the heck had just happened there? Gilbert, with an opened mouth in disbelief, turned his head like a robot slowly at Sharon, who was also standing up.

"Ah, it seems like I have to retire for the night, too," she said softly. "After all, a young girl like me must get a _lot _of sleep!"

"B–But, what about–!" Gilbert stuttered, feeling like he has been betrayed, since he really wanted to _know _the plan already.

"Oh, Gil, you're _still _here, I see~"

Sharon can be sometimes a heartless girl.

"**Please eat **_**all of the pastries**_** left with no leftovers, and drink **_**all of the tea**_** I've prepared for you until nothing remains**," she smiled in the most persuading manner, as she convinced poor Gilbert (with her bloody paper fan in her hand), "_okay_?"

"O–O–O–O–Okay," Gilbert stuttered again, nervously this time, since the table was still full with what Sharon had prepared.

_Oh_,_someone help him __**now**__._

"Then, I'm relieved that my time, effort and love haven't gone to waste~!" Sharon clapped her hands once, smiling like the sweet girl she is again, as she walked out of the room. "See you tomorrow, Gil!"

Yes, Gilbert concluded in a _good_ way that he shall _always _be the first one to finish drinking tea and eating cookies when he's having _any _tea time with Sharon Rainsworth and Xerxes Break, _no matter what happens_.

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><p>"<em>Well then, shall we start the preparations?"<em>

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**A/N: **An update before my hectic schedule chase me! lol. Sorry for the long wait, and I hope that this (kind of) satisfy you with the light atmosphere (which I kind of fail). And watch out for _the editing of the first 3 chapters_ later on; I just need to _change _them and fix what's wrong in them, you know? I just can't move on with this story if they don't satisfy me, and please, _tell me _your honest opinions about its reconstruction (um, is it really the word? Oh well). By the way, thanks for the wonderful comments! Seriously, it's fun to communicate with you.

**Murcielagos: **They're an adorable pair~ What? In which Chapter? I don't recall something like that... Sure; actually, I'm considering of editing the fic later on. Pandora Hearts in anime is awesome! I've spend nights watching it in a marathon, and ended up disappointed with the ending orz. I'm sure you already finished it, right? Thanks for the concern. ^^,  
><strong>Akua-Shuzen: <strong>Thank you! Well, let's hope they appear soon *insert evil smirk**  
><strong>**Kiria4L:** Eh, let's not spoil it first, okay? You'll find out later on xD (I'm so mean /facepalm)

Wonder what 'their' plan is? Read to find out later on! C:


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